A Visalia private school is under fire for its connection to a scheduled off-campus fundraising event that would have involved 250 people, even though events of that size are currently banned from the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Central Valley Christian Schools missed out on a spring fundraiser due to the pandemic which would have garnered $500,000 for the school. In response, an off-campus fundraising event was scheduled for Nov. 13, Superintendent Larry Baker confirmed to the Visalia Times-Delta.
There is also reportedly an off-campus dance scheduled for the same night, organized by high school students and their parents.
The Times-Delta reported that the events are scheduled to be held at Koetsier Ranch in Visalia and Westwood Barns in Tulare.
High school students have not even returned to the classroom yet at Central Valley Christian, because Tulare County is still in the state’s purple tier of the COVID-19 reopening blueprint. All schools will be allowed to reopen once the county moves into the red tier.
Central Valley Christian has returned elementary school students back to the classroom through the COVID-19 waiver, which allows elementary schools to reopen if approved by the county and state health departments while the county is in the purple tier.
If there is an outbreak of the virus at the school, the county health department could step in and shut down the campus once again.
The Times-Delta reported that the school board has not organized the event, but Central Valley Christian parents approached the board with the desire to organize a fundraising event. The board responded saying that the school cannot host any events on campus, so the parents decided to have an outside dinner event.
