Countless schools have decided to close or offer at-home learning for students when the solar eclipse occurs in April, but one Texas school district within the path of totality plans to remain open.
The moon will be positioned on April 8 so that the entire disc of the sun will be blocked by it. The phenomenon will be visible in several U.S. states, plunging millions of people into darkness during the early afternoon.
The path of totality will start in Mexico and extend across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine before heading over the North Atlantic.
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The spectacle is expected to draw crowds from around the country as people head to cities and towns in the path of totality to witness the eclipse. Officials have voiced concerns about stretched public safety resources, an “enormous strain” on local hospitals and congested roadways. Some officials have urged schools to close, citing student safety, but the Austin Independent School District (ISD) in the Texas capital city feels that schools are the safest place for students during the astronomical phenomenon and have opted to remain open.
“We’re keeping schools open so we can embrace this historic moment and ensure all students have the opportunity to see the eclipse,” Austin ISD said in an online statement. “Austin is in the path of totality for the eclipse, which won’t happen again for more than 300 years.”
Newsweek reached out to Austin ISD by email for comment.
Travis County, where Austin is located, has already issued a disaster declaration in advance of the eclipse. Travis County Judge Andy Brown urged residents to stay home during the eclipse, and the disaster declaration ensures the county has enough resources available to support the influx of visitors, according to the Austin ISD statement.
“We’ve worked closely with city and county officials to ensure keeping our schools open will not have an adverse impact on the region,” the Austin ISD statement said. “Ultimately, we know the safest place for our students is our schools. With our resources, thousands of students will be able to experience this event.”
Austin ISD plans to provide solar eclipse viewing glasses to all students and staff.
Other Texas school districts, like in Hays County, originally planned to remain open for the eclipse but ultimately decided to close and will send glasses home with students instead, along with “fun activities and assignments for eclipse day,” Hays school district spokesperson Tim Savoy told Newsweek in a statement.
The Del Valle, Manor and Lake Travis school districts will also be closed. The University of Texas at Austin has canceled classes and will offer a campus-wide viewing experience instead, although it’s not mandatory for students to attend.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.