The Louisiana Education Department is giving local school systems the option to change their COVID quarantine policy. Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says instead of mandatory quarantine for students defined as close contact, school systems can allow parents to decide if their child should stay at home in exposure situations.
“We’ve just faced too many students multiple times being out of school over the last two years for quarantining and there are consequences to that from academic consequences to well-being consequences to just being with their friends,” said Brumley.
Governor John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana Department of Health do not support this policy change.
LDH released a statement that says they still want unvaccinated children to stay home if in close contact with someone who tests positive.
Brumley says any students who ARE quarantined for possible COVID exposure will receive a free virus screening. He says engaging the parents in their child’s well-being is a good policy.
“We think it’s a common-sense approach as we move forward and it’s an option that school systems can consider,” said Brumley.
School systems are free to adopt the policy or not. Brumley says if a child tests positive for COVID, or shows symptoms, they should still be isolated until they recover.
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