Council Rock Sets Quarantine Rules For Exposed Students

NEWTOWN, PA — The Council Rock School Board, during a nearly five-hour meeting Thursday, finalized the rules students exposed to the coronavirus must follow for quarantining once school restarts for in-person learning later this month.

At issue was if the district will opt for the Bucks County-endorsed "modified quarantine" plan, or the rules put forth by the Centers for Disease Control when a student is exposed to an infected person.

The Bucks County Health Department has recommended a "modified quarantine" process for local students who were exposed to the virus but are asymptomatic. Under a modified quarantine, the exposed person must wear a mask at all times and social distance as appropriate, but can attend necessary obligations such as school or work.

Ultimately, the board determined it will proceed immediately with the CDC guidelines, with an intention to revisit the issue on Oct. 22.

Superintendent Robert Fraser, who supported following the stricter CDC guidelines, has the authority to make case-by-case exceptions to the stay-at-home quarantine rules in the event he deems it appropriate.

"The bulk of our staff absolutely wants to see the CDC version," Fraser said at the meeting. "They don't want to modified quarantine version. I think they are very scared of having a student who has been directly exposed right there in class."

Representatives from the local teachers union weighed in during the meeting, saying they were in support of the more stringent quarantine rules for exposed students.

Dave Diehl, president of the Council Rock Education Association, urged the board to follow the CDC recommendations. "Please protect the health and safety of all staff and students in your buildings and follow the advice of a world renown agency," Diehl said.

You can view the full meeting here.