New classroom distancing standards shift to 3 feet; San Mateo County aims to quickly align

The distancing announcement marks a departure from the federal agency’s previous position that 6 feet of space was required, which effectively limited the amount of students allowed in a classroom at once.

The state is reviewing the changes, and San Mateo County aims to quickly align its guidance with state and federal partners, according to a press release from the county Office of Education.

Until the change is final, the 6-foot requirement will remain in place. If the rule is amended, districts with approved reopening plans will need to update their safety protocol, said the press release.

“San Mateo County Health will continue to work closely with the San Mateo County Office of Education and school leaders countywide to develop strategies that support the implementation of any new guidance,” said the press release.

For his part, Becker urged officials to move quickly.

“San Mateo County is studying it. Personally, I hope they would move faster,” he said.

Locally, the distance issue has been especially critical as health conditions improve and campuses prepare for reopening, only to have class sizes capped by the amount of students allowed back due to space constraints.

As a result, many districts have opted to divide classes and stagger in-person sessions over the week to limit numbers of students. The approach has grown unpopular with reopening advocates who wish students to return in a fuller capacity.

For his part, Becker said the issue is important as districts prepare to reopen next fall but also for those who wish to get back in the classroom before the end of the school year.

“Most people I know are focused on the fall. This is critical for that, but even for the spring,” he said.

Alan Sarver, president of the Sequoia Union High School District, backed Becker’s advocacy in the interest of receiving direct guidance from federal and state government.

“What we are looking for as a district is clear, consistent direction,” said Sarver.

Throughout the pandemic, Sarver acknowledged the challenges district officials have grappled with attempting to interpret murky or contradictory policies offered by government agencies.

“It’s harder to follow a larger number of differing directives simultaneously than to make the effort to adhere to one, clear directive,” he said.

But with more absolute direction, Sarver said high school district officials hope they will be able to accommodate more students than originally anticipated.

“We will work with the implications of the change as it comes down and it should make it that much easier to have more students in the classroom,” he said.

The Sequoia Union High School District is slated to begin classes in April and gradually introduce more students over time. The proposal has been met with resistance from reopening advocates who feel students have been shut out of the classroom for too long.

Sarver’s colleague on the board Rich Ginn also called for greater clarity on the issue.

“What we really need is someone who is a health expert telling us what we can do safely so we can make our decisions based on that,” said he said.

Ginn lauded Becker’s attentiveness, as a testament to his responsiveness on an issue of great concern to the local education community. And Becker credited Ginn for making him more aware of the issue.

“This is a great example of local advocacy,” said Ginn.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told The Associated Press the revised recommendations are a “roadmap to help schools reopen safely, and remain open, for in-person instruction.” She said in-person schooling gives students not only “the education they need to succeed” but access to crucial social and mental health services.

The new guidance:

• Removes recommendations for plastic shields or other barriers between desks. “We don’t have a lot of evidence of their effectiveness” in preventing transmission, said Greta Massetti, who leads the CDC's community interventions task force.

• Advises at least 3 feet of space between desks in elementary schools, even in towns and cities where community spread is high, so long as students and teachers wear masks and take other precautions.

• Says spacing can also be 3 feet in middle and high schools, so long as there is not a high level of spread in the community. If there is, the distance should be at least 6 feet.

The change at the CDC met with skepticism in some quarters, according to The Associated Press.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said the 1.6-million-member union is reviewing the latest research, “but we are concerned this change has been driven by a lack of physical space rather than the hard science on aerosol exposure and transmission.”

Dr. Lawrence Kleinman, a professor of pediatrics and global urban public health at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said 3 feet is “probably safe” if schools are doing everything right — if everyone is wearing masks correctly at all times and washing their hands, and if ventilation is good. But he said that’s unlikely.

“I will not send my child to a school that’s distancing at 3 feet,” Kleinman told The Associated Press.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

austin@smdailyjournal.com