WORCESTER, Mass. - Despite rising COVID-19 cases, there’s currently no plan for Worcester Public Schools to send students home for remote learning.

During Thursday’s school committee meeting, Superintendent Maureen Binienda confirmed there is no plan to switch to remote learning.

Teachers’ union president Roger Nugent says the union is concerned there are more COVID-19 cases in the schools than they are sharing and remote should be an option. 

"(Remote learning) should be on the table. The superintendent informed me that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has said they will not okay us to go remote for the first two weeks after vacation,” Nugent said. “That was kind of discouraging because I think the idea was to let the virus settle down. Flatten the curve, if you will."

Murdock High School in Winchendon has gone remote through the holiday break after dozens of students there tested positive or were exposed to the coronavirus.