Children wave their hands in a classroom | Getty Images Schools stay open in McCarthy's district as vast majority of California campuses shut

SACRAMENTO — As the state and nation seemingly shut down around them, Kern County schools plan to keep their doors open in the face of escalating coronavirus concerns.

The county at the southern end of the Central Valley has more than 190,000 students and is home to Bakersfield and other conservative areas represented by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.


Of California’s 25 largest districts, the Kern High School District, which enrolls about 40,000, is the only one staying open despite complaints from parents who worry their community is behind the curve.

School officials say they are leaning on the Kern County Public Health Department for guidance and believe their schools are safe. Schools are being sanitized and field trips and other large gatherings have been canceled.

“Because there are no confirmed COVID-19 cases in our community and no evidence of community-wide transmission — and the fact that schools are an essential service, providing education, meals, security and resources for children and families — there was consensus that Kern County Schools will remain open at this time,” Kern County Superintendent Mary Barlow said in a statement. “Kern County students do not have access to the same resources as more affluent counties.”

The county is monitoring 10 people who may have contracted the disease, though it has not confirmed a positive case, according to Kern County Public Health spokesperson Michelle Corson.

“Our risk remains low to the general public,” Corson said in a public health briefing Friday.

But health officials have warned that everywhere in the country is susceptible to the global pandemic and that Americans should practice social distancing to slow the spread of the virus.

School officials say keeping campuses open outweighs the risk of exposure. Nearly 75 percent of students in Kern County are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

But parents like Megan Hunt say it’s only a matter of time, despite no positive cases. She's worried that students and adults are already spreading the virus throughout the county but that a lack of test availability means cases just haven't been confirmed yet.

Hunt has three children who attend Bakersfield City School District. Her daughter, who was born premature, is immunocompromised and prone to pneumonia.

“With the threat being so close in surrounding counties, all schools should close as a precaution,” she said. “I’m in a tough situation whether to keep them or send them.”

A school bus driver for Bakersfield City School District, who asked not to be named, said kids are getting on his bus coughing and sitting close to each other. The risk to children appears low, but health professionals warn they could pass the virus to high-risk individuals.

"If people think cruise ships are not safe, school buses have to be 10 times worse," the bus driver said. "Honestly if they really believe this is a dangerous virus, why they aren’t shutting down public schools and buses, I have no idea."

While Visalia Unified has closed, other schools in Tulare County have not. McCarthy represents most of Tulare County. His office did not return requests for comment.

Tulare County health officials announced the second confirmed case of coronavirus there on Friday. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), a ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, also represents portions of Tulare County.

Meanwhile, the vast majority of California students will not have school for weeks, including those at Los Angeles Unified and San Diego Unified — California’s largest districts. L.A. Unified is the second largest district in the country, serving more than 600,000 students, more than 80 percent of whom qualify for subsidized meals — a higher percentage than in Kern County.

Some schools have already been closed for more than a week. Elk Grove Unified, California’s fifth largest district, has been closed since March 9 after a student's family was quarantined because a relative tested positive. A week ago, that was labeled by many in the region as an overreaction, but now appears to have been ahead of the curve.

The disconnect between California school districts echoes criticisms of Gov. Gavin Newsom's decision not to issue a statewide mandate.

While Newsom issued an executive order Friday that ensures closed schools will still receive funding, he has said closing schools could do more harm than good in poorer communities.

“There’s a deep socioeconomic consideration,” Newsom said last week. “We have to be very thoughtful and considerate as it relates to our education system and the broader impacts, including if we do close, how to feed these kids and how to protect these kids.”

Ramon Hendrix, superintendent of Greenfield Union School District, thinks Newsom has made the right call. At his Kern County district, 96 percent of the nearly 10,000 students are from low-income families.

“So many of the parents in the Greenfield community don’t have jobs where they can work from home or work from a remote location. They have jobs where they have to show up everyday,” Hendrix said, noting the impact of school closures on child care plans. “If the governor or the county health department issues an order, we will comply, but we would like to keep providing that lifeline."