Will school return to West Fargo in 2020?

COVID-19 has shut down schools across America, and it’s no different in North Dakota. While many different business sectors will be reopening this weekend, one sector will not—education. And, for those in the West Fargo School District, a recent survey shows that they are ready for it to reopen.

Bernie Dardis, West Fargo City Commission President, tells WZFG Radio that he had a conversation with Superintendent of Schools in West Fargo, Beth Slette, on Tuesday about a survey she sent to parents and staff members at the school district. Dardis said Slette asked the parents and staff if they’d be comfortable coming back to school this school year. By noon on Tuesday, Slette indicated to him that 1500 parents and 500 staff members had responded. At the time, the survey had only been open for approximately four hours.

“Overwhelmingly, they all wanted to come back,” Dardis said of the results.

Then, Superintendent Slette held a virtual meeting with 10 high school students, asking them, “If school reopened, would your parents allow you to come back in?” Dardis said eight of the 10 students said yes.

So, is it possible that the school could come back?

“It’s a really challenging question,” Dardis said.

He says that one group of students that would perform best being back in school would be special needs or at-risk children. And he says he would “support that in a heartbeat.”

The City Commission President also says that he believes there is still a possibility to return to school, if people continue to follow the guidelines. Dardis says he believes the Governor and his team will be watching the data as things open up, when considering the return to school.

North Dakota United is a member-driven organization, dedicated to granting our public workers and educators the respect and fair treatment they deserve -- in the workplace, in their communities and in the state Capitol. On Wednesday, the organization surveyed its members to collect their thoughts about the possibility of school returning in May. The survey’s results, as of 7 p.m. last evening, showed that, of the more than 1600 responses, more than 1500 indicated that they would not feel safe if their schools were reopened, while only 178 indicated that they would feel safe.

“North Dakota’s professional K-12 educators are overwhelmingly asking you to determine that there is no reason to abandon the sagacious decision to close schools to students as stated in Executive Order 2020-10,” North Dakota United President Nick Archuleta told North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler.