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All but one member of Marana USD school board vote for remote start

Posted at 10:25 PM, Dec 17, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-18 00:25:41-05

MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — In a 4-to-1 vote, Marana Unified School District's school board voted to start the spring semester remotely for three weeks.

The sole 'no' vote came from board member Tom Carlson.

"I don't believe that the conditions out there are such that would cause me to change my view on this."

During the board meeting, Carlson said the metrics by which all districts in Pima County are guided isn't sufficient.

"I think that the health people, 'experts,' are looking at the wrong things."

Carlson argued those 'experts' need to consider only one metric.

"I think that they should be looking at mortality rates rather than infection rates."

Recently, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported COVID-19 as one of the leading causes of death in the country.

"When President Trump got it, came down with it on a Friday, he took those drugs over the weekend and he was clear of it on Monday."

In his opinion, Carlson mentioned treatments like Remdesivir, which the President received, for anyone who becomes infected by the virus.

A New York Times report puts the cost of this treatment at between $2,300 and $3,100 with public or private insurance.

"People still aren't dying from this. People are getting it, they're down for a couple of days to a week and a half or so, two weeks and then they move on with their lives."

If they do move on, they could be stuck with a medical bill between $17,000 and $45,000, that's according the database: Fair Health.

When asked three weeks to return to hybrid learning, Marana Superintendent Dr. Dan Streeter said it puts students on a even baseline.

"You're looking at a return of a full week that puts all our hybrid students on the same schedule coming back. You're not returning to a schedule that's not consistent with previous schedules."

Remote learning at Marana schools will be from January 4th to the 25th.