The following is statement issued by Manteca Unified School District Superintendent Clarke Burke regarding Gov. Newsom comments about public schools not likely to reopen this spring. The 25,000 Manteca Unified students are currently on spring break through Friday and then will take the next two weeks off due to the coronavirus situation and are at this time scheduled to resume classes April 6.

“The governor has not mandated school closures like other governors in the country. (Tuesday evening), he offered his recommendation but as of now, opening and closing of schools is determined locally. We will continue to make smart, educated decisions based on all the facts when the health and education of our students are at stake.

“(On Tuesday), California Department of Education (CDE) and California Health and Human Services Agency (HHS) released specific guidelines to Local Educational Agencies which emphasize, 'Please continue to be guided by federal, state, and local public health authorities in your decision-making. We believe that public health and education officials, in collaboration, are best positioned to measure and balance these very difficult, and often competing, considerations.'"

“We will continue to rely on San Joaquin County Public Health Services (SJCPHS) to be the medical professionals in our continued response to the mitigation of COVID-19. If in the unfortunate event a formal recommendation is given to continue the suspension of resident student programs, we will remain dedicated to meeting individual student educational needs in the safest possible environment.”