MADISON — School parents and administrators, teachers, and staff in Dane County got a victory in their efforts to open Catholic schools to all students.
On September 10, the State Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction halting the Dane County Order requiring all schools, public and private, in the county to open virtually for students in grades three through 12.
This meant Catholic schools in Dane County could hold in-person instruction for all students immediately.
Families take action
The county order, Emergency Order #9, was issued on August 21 just days before many Dane County schools in the Diocese of Madison were scheduled to open for full in-person instruction.
Schools had spent most of the summer making preparations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the order, St. Ambrose Academy in Madison, joined by a coalition of Catholic schools and parents, asked Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) to rescind its order.
When PHMDC did not rescind the order, the group formally filed a petition with the Wisconsin Supreme Court to strike down the order.
More 850 individuals contributed to a crowdfunding campaign raising funds to cover legal expenses.
Back to school
By Monday, Sept. 14, many schools in Dane County that were ready to open their doors to students began doing so after the delay.
These included St. Ambrose Academy, St. John the Baptist School in Waunakee, and others.
Schools such as St. Maria Goretti in Madison and Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary School in Sun Prairie were going to begin letting all students in by the end of the week.
Schools such at St. James School in Madison will be open to all grades by the week after.
Many schools in the Diocese of Madison and outside of Dane County had already had safe openings to in-person instruction for all students.
Most of these schools had worked in cooperation with county and local health authorities to assure all measures were in place to keep everyone safe and healthy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Safe openings were also accomplished for the Dane County Catholic schools that opened their doors to students in grade two and younger.
Social distancing and other measures were enacted and done so effectively.
This comes amid concerns over rising COVID-19 case numbers near the UW-Madison campus.
The State Supreme Court still needs to make a final ruling on the order, which many school families are confident will be struck down.