This is the dumbest part of DMPS argument. All they have to do is add a 3rd day every other week and they can even make it an early out day and that is all they would need to meet the 50% requirement. Hell practically every school in the metro area has figured out how to make a hybrid or full in person learning plan work. Waukee is going full in person right now so if a school that big can make that work I don't see why DMPS can't do what a lot of other schools are doing is do an A and B group hybrid model and make 1 day an early out where group A goes on that day 1 week and Group B goes the other week. De-clutter the classrooms of any non-essential items and furniture and turn other areas into the school into class space or an extra lunch room and you can make distancing work along with mandatory face coverings. At my child's school the class sizes are about 40% of what they would normally be because of the hybrid model and the students that chose full online learning option which is still available even if you have in person learning. For lunch they only seat 1 side of the table and only let a certain number of kids sit per table in order to give them some space while eating too. I feel very comfortable sending my child to school with the measures and protocols our school is taking and I hope things continue to be as successful as they have been so far.
It's not rocket science to make some form of in person learning work while still offering full online options for those who can't or don't want to participate in in person learning at the school. DMPS is just making this a political pissing match while using their students as pawns and is looking stupid for digging in on this when everyone else in the area found a way to make it work under the law. Looks like they may have taken this down off their site now but WHOTV still has a copy of their survey results:
https://who13.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2020/07/DMPS-Return-To-Learn-2020-21.pdf Over 75% of DMPS families said they would sent their child to some form of in person learning in a modified school week. The school board and administration should not be playing these political games when a good chunk of the families they are representing want some form of in person learning for their children. Everyone else was able to adjust their plans once they 50% requirement was announced so there is no excuse why they could not have as well. I moved out of DM and into a suburb city before we had kids because I didn't want to send kids to DMPS some day and this is just another example why I am glad we don't live in that school district as I would be pissed right now and probably have voiced my frustrations with the school board and administration by now if my family had to go through what they are putting their district through right now.