Page 36 - The Edge - BTS 2021

AASBO SUMMER CONFERENCE

BY DON HARRIS
Chris Thomas Anne Crumlish Isela Brown
COVID: What’s Ahead in 2022

AASBO members are facing myriad issues – legal and distancing. “Now, we have less,” he said.
and financial – stemming from the COVID-19 “School districts arguably had authority to require
pandemic, and experts provided information and vaccinations of staff and students that were eligible
educated guesses on what to expect in the 2021-22 for the vaccine, but that authority was taken away.”
school year.
He noted that vaccinations for other diseases are
Chris Thomas, Arizona School Boards Association required, with some exceptions, for children to
General Counsel/Associate Executive Director, attend school, but not for Covid.
offered an analysis of key school-related bills
passed by the Arizona Legislature; Anne Crumlish, Thomas called it a tragedy regarding the financial
Executive Director, Aetna, tracked the up and down penalty for virtual learning compared to in-person
future of health care issues of the pandemic; and instruction. He suggested it was “a hammer held
Isela Brown, Business Manager, Santa Cruz Valley over schools by government to get back to in-person
Unified School District, told how her small rural learning. It’s unfortunate that happened.”
district coped with Covid.
Then, in changes mostly made at the last minute
In a presentation at AASBO’s Summer Conference in education budget bills, the Legislature curtailed
and Expo on July 22, Thomas recalled that initially school district authority, Thomas said. “It was the
under Gov. Doug Ducey’s executive orders school ultimate Christmas tree bill,” he said, explaining
districts had a lot of discretion regarding masks that several bills that schools opposed and didn’t

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36 THE EDGE BACK TO SCHOOL 2021