DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Des Moines Public School district will seek legal action after the state denies its request for an all on-line start to the school year.
The district says it will seek a court injunction of the state's decision on Monday. It also wants a judicial review of the state's ability to supersede decisions made by local school boards.
Des Moines Superintendent Thomas Ahart says the district's on-line only request isn't an act of political defiance, but an effort to keep their students and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Iowa Department of Education says districts must have a 15-percent COVID-19 positivity rate over a two-week span, and 10 percent of students out sick to apply for a waiver for online-only learning. The department says there's no guarantee that a waiver will be granted.
The Iowa High School Athletics Association and Iowa Girls Athletic Union issued a joint statement this week saying schools that go to 100 percent on-line learning can't participate in sports.
The Des Moines School District's academic year is scheduled to start September 8th.
The Governor's office has released a statement:
Gov. Reynolds is disappointed to hear that the Des Moines Public School System plans to sue the State rather than to work cooperatively to develop a return to learn plan that complies with the law and meets the educational and health needs of Iowa's children. Our Return to Learn plan emphasizes in-person learning, flexibility for school districts, and also parental choice. The State will continue assisting school districts in safely returning teachers and students to the classroom.