The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will not be reopening its three training academies on August 2 due to concerns about the recent spike in coronavirus infections and fatalities.
Now, the facilities in Maryland and Alabama won’t hold face-to-face, in-person training until October.
“FEMA’s top priority remains the health and safety of FEMA employees, instructors, students, and visitors on campus, without compromising instruction quality and the student experience,” the agency announced on its website. “Therefore, FEMA will suspend in-person training and education at both the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) and Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) through at least October 1.”
The training academies have been closed since March.
President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos have been pressuring schools to reopen this fall, despite the fact that the COVID-19 infection and fatality rates have been increasing in most states. The coronavirus has killed more than 143,000 Americans so far.
Despite the pressure by the Trump administration, many large districts have announced they will start the 2020-2021 academic year online with no face-to-face classes. They include K-12 districts in Los Angeles, Nashville, Houston, Arlington, Virginia and Atlanta, as well as many others.
Many teachers have objected to reopening schools during the pandemic. About one in four are at greater risk of serious illness if they are infected with the virus. Additionally, schools might not have enough substitute teachers to fill classrooms when the assigned teacher calls in sick due to COVID-19, reports USA Today.
