School Board Declares Emergency

The Lincoln Public School Board of Education on Wednesday declared an emergency because of the Corona Virus.  The resolution grants Superintendent Steve Joel the authority to take actions necessary to deal with the effects of the virus outbreak and spread.

School Board Attorney Jim Gessford, in requesting the resolution, told the Board the conditions are changing “hour by hour, sometimes minute by minute”, citing recent Press Conferences by Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and the daily changes they can bring about.  He also thanked the County Board for passing an emergency declaration of its own on Tuesday.

“We believe it will be necessary to react to this emerging situation”, he said, adding “a lot of times it’s necessary to react almost immediately.”

Gessford pointed out that the Board did not have the luxury of time to study the resolution.  “The District had spring break last week, and families and students are returning basically from all over the Country.”

The Board also adopted Emergency Pandemic Closure Procedures.  They detail when each group of employees will and will not report if the Schools are closed, and when they will and will not be paid.

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