Parents raise concern over Lake Orion Community Schools’ Health Screening Agreement

By Megan Kelley

Review Writer

Several parents took to the podium during the public comment portion of the Lake Orion Community Schools Board of Education meeting last week to express their concern with the district’s Health Screening Agreement.

Last year, as a COVID-19 mitigation strategy, LOCS students and staff were required to complete the ClearToGo app in order to enter the school building.

This year, however, the district is moving away from the ClearToGo app and is asking parents to sign a one-time Health Screening Agreement which states:

For the health and safety of our students, LOCS asks for students to be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 before getting on a bus or entering school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) do not recommend screenings be done by the schools in consideration of time and interruption to education. Schools may conduct additional in school screening if cases have been identified in the school or prior to after school activities.

Complete the one-time information below prior to sending your child to school. By doing so, you indicate your understanding and agreement to perform daily symptom screenings on your child. By signing this form, I am committing to screening my child daily for the 2021-2022 school year, unless otherwise directed. I also understand that it is my responsibility to call the school immediately if my child is not going to school for potential COVID-19 symptoms.

I commit to screening my child daily for COVID-19 symptoms and exposure.

District parent Becky Albert spoke about her concern, specifically regarding the line that states “schools may conduct additional in-school screening if cases have been identified in the school or prior to after-school activities.”

Albert questioned how cases would be identified and if cases are identified, how does the school decide which students need to be screened, who will do the screenings and how, and other logistics.

According to Albert, an email from the district’s Communication and Marketing Director Mark Snyder stated that the intent of the agreement was for families to screen their children and that “the reference to potential screening only refers to verbal questions if necessary.”

Albert added that she requested the form be updated but was told the language was already approved by district administration and that updating the form would impact parents who had already signed the form.

Albert expressed her disappointment in this response and stated, along with others, that she would not be signing the form as it currently reads.

“Every school could potentially do their own thing regarding procedures. What’s the protocol when someone is screened? There should be strict guidelines all schools in the district have to go by and parents need to know what procedures are before agreeing or signing anything,” Albert said.

 

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