DUBLIN, Ohio — The Dublin City Schools' Board of Education passed a resolution Tuesday which will have all students start the upcoming school year remotely.
The resolution was approved with a vote of 5-0.
As part of the resolution, teachers will return to school buildings on August 17 to prepare for the start of the school year, which will include discussions about the district's remote learning and hybrid learning plans, in addition to safety expectations for students and staff members.
All students are scheduled to start the academic year remotely on August 24. Students who are enrolled in the district's Remote Learning Academy will remain in the academy for the first semester. Any students wanting to choose the remote learning option can do so through Wednesday, August 5.
Students who are not enrolled in the Remote Learning Academy are scheduled to begin orientation for a Hybrid Learning Model on September 8. Classes in the Hybrid Learning Model have a scheduled start date of September 21.
While the board was inside the Emerald Campus Tuesday evening deciding what the future of Dublin schools would look like, more than 100 protesters stood outside, voicing opposition to remote learning.
The protesters gathered and held up signs to express a silent voice. One father’s sign said his kitchen is not a classroom. One mother’s sign said she believes in-person school is essential.
Many parents were accompanied by their children, students in the Dublin City Schools district. The students also held up signs asking the board to reopen schools and said face-to-face learning is vital to their development.
Dublin City Schools is the latest district to see protests across central Ohio. Franklin County Public Health’s website says “though our recommendation for schools is to consider beginning the year remotely and discontinue extracurricular activities, it is the school’s governing body’s decision to do so.”
Whereas some of the people who talked at Tuesday’s meeting voiced opposition to remote learning, the majority voiced praise for starting the year online believing it’s for the best of students, teachers and staff against the spread of COVID-19.
Click here for more information on Dublin City Schools' reopening plan.