Free Republic

Montgomery County’s top health official issued an order late Wednesday directing private schools to suspend in-person teaching until Oct. 1, a directive that officials say bypasses Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s request that private schools have sole authority over when and how to reopen. The order from county health officer Travis Gayles cites specific sections of state code that he said empower local health officers to take actions to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The move comes after Gayles last week ordered private schools in the county to begin classes online in the fall, a decision that sparked backlash from...

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and officials in the state are at odds over a county's decision to mandate private schools to begin virtual-only learning this fall amid the coronavirus pandemic. Health officials in Montgomery County last week made the decision to keep private and parochial schools closed through October for in-person learning, arguing that having students in the classroom would present a danger to pupils and teachers as the state grapples with COVID-19. But Hogan blasted the move over the weekend, saying: "I strongly disagree with Montgomery County's decision to mandate the closure of private and parochial schools." "As long...