VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Students in the area's largest school division will start the coming year learning 100% virtually.
The school board voted around 1 a.m., Wednesday morning, near the end of an hours-long meeting and debate. The school district now joins Norfolk and Chesapeake Public Schools on the decision to have virtual learning.
In the end, the decision was to at least start the coming school year entirely virtual.
The board voted 8-3 in favor of Superintendent Aaron Spence's recommendation to start the year virtually. The plan is to watch the area's COVID-19 numbers - not going back to in-classroom learning until positivity rates fall below a certain threshold.
Dozens spoke during the meeting and even before then parents and teachers with differing opinions rallied outside.
"He does not like virtual learning, he has an IEP so he has special needs. I can't provide those services for him," explained Erin Clark, a student's mother who is in favor of in-classroom learning.
The school division says the decision on when to move back to face-to-face instruction will be based on health data related to COVID-19.
NEW THIS MORNING: @vbschools students WILL start the next school year learning 100% virtually. The school board voted the plan through early this morning. I’m LIVE with the details on #News3ThisMorning. https://t.co/trOGJ2iW36 @WTKR3 #VirginiaBeach #coronavirus
— Anthony Sabella (@AnthonyWTKR) July 29, 2020
