PHOENIX (AP) — An Arizona school district that had planned to resume in-person classes against the advice of public health officials is now backing off after teachers refused to show up.
The J. O. Combs Unified School District in Pinal County announced that classes will be canceled on Monday, and it’s unclear when they’ll resume.
“We have received an overwhelming response from staff indicating that they do not feel safe returning to classrooms with students,” Superintendent Gregory Wyman wrote in a letter to parents. “In response, we have received a high volume of staff absences for Monday citing health and safety concerns.”
Wyman said all classes are canceled, including virtual classes.
The Arizona Department of Health Services is publishing statistics measuring the spread of the coronavirus in each of Arizona’s 15 counties. The agency has set benchmarks for the gradual reopening in-person instruction, but school districts are not required to follow them. No county has met…
