(Photo: Office of the Governor)
For the entirety of the coronavirus pandemic, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has ruled on his own. But now that schools are set to reopen and high school sports seasons set to begin in less than a week, he’s passing off responsibility to local elected officials.
As many schools are debating switching to online classes in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Wolf announced in a press briefing on Monday that he doesn’t see how virtual schools can have contact sports. But still, he’s letting it all up to local districts to make their own call. That way, if things go wrong, he can blame them rather than having that responsibility fall on his lap.
Tom Wolf Passes the Buck on Responsibility for High School Sports Safety Amid Pandemic
“If the school is going to be open, feels it’s safe, teachers, administrators, parents feel it’s safe to reopen, then that’s a different proposition for contact sports,” Wolf explained.
“I’m trying to allow for different situations in different parts of the state because we do have some diversity and their sports decisions and their education decisions ought to be governed by what is going on locally,” he added.
This announcement from Gov. Wolf comes nearly a week after the PIAA released a statement that in accordance with the Wolf administration guidelines, there will be no fans permitted to attend sporting games this year.
However, on Monday Wolf stated that they haven’t yet decided if spectators will be allowed at sporting events.
While there are ongoing discussions about whether virtual schools will be allowed to have sports, and whether or not sporting events will allow fans several schools in Pennsylvania have already canceled sports due to coronavirus outbreaks with their athletes.
John Kosydar, the Athletic Director for Cedar Cliff High School in Camp Hill, PA announced that practices for boys soccer and field hockey have been suspended until further notice after one player from each team tested positive for COVID-19.
Another school district in Pennsylvania, Exeter Township School District announced that they would be hitting pause on their sports workouts due to a football player testing positive for COVID-19.
Today we were alerted that one of our football players tested positive for COVID-19. The following correspondence was sent to players and their families by our Athletic Director. Go to https://t.co/KUK60NH57E under the Headline area to view the text version of the below message pic.twitter.com/NoObDrEbEJ
— Exeter Township School District (@ExeterTwpSchool) July 20, 2020
As schools around the state prepare to start back up, they continue to face ongoing questions and challenges.
What will school look like, and is it possible to still have sporting events?
If so, will fans be allowed at sporting events, and if so, how many fans will be allowed at games?
Can a virtual school still have sports?
These are all questions many schools are asking and are trying to answer. And if it’s the wrong answer, Wolf has allowed himself the opportunity to say, “Told ya so.”
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Koren
August 4, 2020 at 6:23 pm
He is inconsistent and a jerk. Masks do not work. Go to aapsonline.org/mask-facts. We all need to get back to business and he needs to be out of office. He, along with other Democrats, are on the path to ruin the U.S.
james toth
August 4, 2020 at 6:25 pm
what else did wolf pass the buck to. is time to impeach the governor
Jason Bourne
August 4, 2020 at 7:26 pm
If he shut it down which he should do in the interest of public safety, you’d be the first to bitch about it. You’re just a partisan.
K
August 4, 2020 at 7:30 pm
I cannot believe how many people are buying into this pandemic. Chances of getting this are low. I have been out and about since March and have been fine. If I were sick- I would stay home. Wearing masks is ineffective. This is ridiculous. Social Justice Warriors need to find real problems.
Jason Bourne
August 4, 2020 at 8:32 pm
K, that is bologna. Here’s the truth. https://www.umms.org/coronavirus/what-to-know/prevention-safety/protect/masks/wearing-mask It is true they’re not 100% effective, that is why it’s still important to social distance.
Jason Bourne
August 4, 2020 at 8:12 pm
K, masks cut the chance of getting the virus by over 50% and if you’re wearing it properly over your nose by 90%.
K
August 4, 2020 at 8:21 pm
Read to the conclusion https://aapsonline.org/mask-facts/
K
August 4, 2020 at 9:10 pm
Yours is bologna. Thanks, though. Yes. The most effective is social distance.
Jason Bourne
August 5, 2020 at 12:38 am
Lol. You just can’t teach stupid. Just look at the red states and wonder why they have an outbreak. No regulations, that’s why. Just drink hydrochloroquine k. Btw, that article has absolutely nothing to do with coronavirus.
Jason Bourne
August 4, 2020 at 9:40 pm
Whatever K. You do realize that other countries such as China who were effective in handling the virus had mask mandates. How about New York who had the toughest guidelines and restrictions have seen a 96% reduction in overall cases.
You just don’t want to wear a mask so naturally you gravitate to sites who tell you it doesn’t help. They’ll sell you anything you wanna hear for a buck. It’s important to get your information from reliable sources.
Amazingly, those of us liberals and Democrats wearing masks are helping out Trump’s economy more than his supporters who are irresponsible spreading the virus. The virus is killing the our currency and economy.
K
August 4, 2020 at 10:00 pm
Thanks. Same goes for you. Whatever fits your agenda. I can tell you, I have been fine since March. We don’t live in a community like NY, if the virus was as bad as they say, then people who work in essential stores would be hospitalized and there would be a huge turnover- not to mention all of the get togethers, hmmm. Look around you. Are you so ill that you cannot function? Why, then do you liberals refuse to believe that there is a great chance you have been totally fooled? Give me a break. Get real and use deductive reasoning which you have seem to lost due to your excessive mask wearing.
K
August 4, 2020 at 10:04 pm
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/5/19-0994_article
BTW- read it and be informed.
Jason Bourne
August 5, 2020 at 12:39 am
Here you go idiot, be informed.https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p0714-americans-to-wear-masks.html
Jason Bourne
August 5, 2020 at 9:40 am
K, you’re nuts. Influenza isn’t covid. Click on my post and see what the crc says about wearing masks. Like usual Trumpsters are misinformed nut jobs.
K
August 5, 2020 at 9:37 am
Typical. All of you resort to insults and name calling when something doesn’t go your way. Not to mention rioting and destroying people’s businesses in the name of what? If the furniture of this country lies with kids like you- God speed to you.
K
August 5, 2020 at 3:41 pm
Gosh, you will find ANYTHING to support your uneducated mind. Additionally, you have to use a pseudonym to voice your opinion. Although, it certainly was a good movie. Sad. I’m sorry that you support the people, and are one of the problems, who are destroying this country. You should probably educate yourself about Communism, and the like. If that is what you are after- go live somewhere else where you would be welcomed. Most Americans who use their own cognition and don’t feed into mainstream media do not welcome you.
Jason Bourne
August 5, 2020 at 6:18 pm
You’re funny k. You don’t make a bit of sense. You, not knowing the difference between influenza and covid 19 has something to do with blm and communism? Seriously K? And yes it was a good movie.
K
August 5, 2020 at 7:39 pm
They were all good movies, JB.
K
August 5, 2020 at 7:32 pm
Ha! There are so many strains of the Coronavirus. SARS, MERS, etc. yikes. Our fiture is in trouble with kids like you. Yes, the attitudes all go hand in hand across the board. Educate yourself, for the good of the country or you will be living in Communism.
Jason Bourne
August 5, 2020 at 7:44 pm
K, you’re a waste of my time. You’re an imbecile who suffers from cognitive dissonance. Your views and beliefs are entirely inconsistent.
K
August 5, 2020 at 7:58 pm
Hardly. I am very consistent. Please detail my inconsistencies. Again, here you go with the insults. Actually, that would be Biden, and it is a shame they are using him the way they are. The agenda of the left is to disrupt the freedoms of the US and what they were founded on.
My cousin lives in Hong Kong, and has for 30 years. He knows first hand the Chinese govt cannot be trusted- going back to your post about masks. They have worn them for years and they began as a fad.
You are naive, and cannot have a decent conversation. Look up and read the mission statement of BLM. They want to disrupt the nuclear family and dismantle the patriarchal environment.Not only that- click on donate and the money first goes to Bernie Sanders. I feel sad for you; you have been fooled. Your lack of a good education shows. It shows in your insults and name calling. Pitiful.
Jason Bourne
August 5, 2020 at 8:03 pm
No K you’re not. You’re the same people who bitched about Wolf’s policies towards bars and restaurants but in this he left school sports in the hand of local officials. So what’s your beef? If your against central just be against central planning. You’re just a partisan hack.
PTFloridians
August 6, 2020 at 8:27 am
You should change your screen name from Jason Bourne to Commie Rat…your Central Planning reference tells us all who you are and what your goals are. Your little anarchist “movement” and spout-offs reveal your lack of historical knowledge, education, hatred for America, race-baiting, and lack of respect for the millions of men and women that died for your freedoms. I’m sure that you’d like to turn back the clock to October, 1917.
Jason Bourne
August 6, 2020 at 8:54 am
Floridian, you’re hilarious! I always get a good laugh from you.
PTFloridians
August 6, 2020 at 9:55 am
You should change your screen name from Jason Bourne to Commie Rat. Your little anarchist movement and spout-offs reveal your lack of historical knowledge, education, race-baiting, hatred for America and general lack of respect. Millions of men and women died for your freedoms, while you want to turn back the clock to October 1917. I (we) encourage you to (re)consider your path forward.
k
August 5, 2020 at 8:20 pm
Please detail. I don’t like him. He over steps his authority without thinking of the general population. He doesn’t work with anybody, and is nothing short of a dictator. The Breakneck Bar in Ohio named him employee of the month because of his ridiculous orders. Everyone went there and gave those business owners the money that should have been in the local businesses here. I have been out since March 15 when school let out. I have been fine. My parents are in their 80s- they have been fine. Look around. People are ok. If masks work so well, why did it not stop the outbreak in China and everywhere else? People wear masks all the time and yet the numbers increase. Oh, the efficacy of masks was in the link I sent you that you said was baloney. Use common sense, and deductive resining- which you seem to be lacking at the moment.
Again, the name calling- because you have no good data to prove I am incorrect. Democratic states have had the highest deaths from Covid because of lack of leadership, and their need to destroy what America stands for. I am sorry your generation does not see that. Good luck in the future.
Jason Bourne
August 5, 2020 at 8:31 pm
In your original post you said he was inconsistent. I agree with you, he is. I didn’t argue that because he should shut down or atleast put the fall sports schedule on hold. I argued about wearing masks in a pandemic. You can’t have it both ways. He’s a dictator? Please. You gotta be kidding me.