As bright-eyed students return to classrooms this fall, many guardians, parents and teachers feel that they’re being left in the dark.

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) doesn’t plan on reporting the number of positive COVID-19 cases in schools, and also isn’t requiring districts to notify the public when a positive case is reported in one of its buildings.

Locally, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. has followed suit.

In a recent staff memo, Superintendent Jim Roberts said that in the event a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, BCSC would not send a letter to the entire building, nor would they share the individual’s name.

“If there were to be a positive case in one of our buildings, the leadership of that building will initially identify close contacts and notify those individuals, parents, or guardians,” Roberts said in a statement. “Close contacts are defined as anyone within 6 feet for greater than 15 minutes in the 48 hours prior to the positive test or onset of symptoms. (ISDH) will then follow up with their contact tracing process. Individuals identified as closed contacts are required to quarantine for 14 days.”

In his memo, Roberts said that close contacts will be identified using information from seating charts, class schedules, cohort groups, school routines and extracurricular activities. Contacts would then be notified by BCSC and the health department and are required to quarantine, regardless of whether or not they experience symptoms.

He added, “The building staff that NEED to know about a positive test case, in order to assist with contact tracing, will be notified on an individual basis in compliance with HIPAA and FERPA laws.”

The district and state are right in not divulging names, but should reconsider their stances on broadly notifying teachers, parents, and the public at large. While the policy appears well-intended, parents and teachers deserve to know what’s happening not only in their classrooms, but in their buildings.

The ISDH has demonstrated that it’s possible to identify facilities with COVID-19 cases without sharing private information. On the ISDH COVID-19 dashboard, there’s a map that shows the number of positive cases and deaths at long-term care facilities. Users can also see the exact number of cases — for both residents and staff — at each facility within their count.

By not making information public, schools run the risk of misinformation spreading by word of mouth and social media.

Some districts are already having issues with reopening. On Aug. 12, the News and Tribune in Jeffersonville reported that 58 staff members and 210 students were quarantined in the Greater Clark County Schools. Earlier in the week, Avon’s schools moved to eLearning after multiple students and staff tested positive. Both districts started school on July 29.

Rather than letting speculation and rumor float around, the state and its schools should provide updates. COVID-19 cases will happen with the reopening in schools, but it shouldn’t be a secret.

As fluid decisions are made by local and state officials, the public needs transparency.

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