ALICE, Texas — Alice Independent School District conducts testing for COVID-19 at Memorial Stadium Thursday.
The district said around 250 students and staff members were tested Thursday: Results are expected within a few days.
The testing was conducted after contact tracing conducting by the school district showed that a ‘significant number’ of students attended a large residential gathering on Oct. 17, and may have been exposed to COVID-19.
The district also has stopped in-person learning until Nov. 2.
Additional testing dates are scheduled for Friday, and Oct. 28. Members of Alice ISD can sign up for testing through the school district’s Facebook page.
“I think it’s sad for the other students,” said Alice resident Jeanette Streadl.
Streadl does not believe the hosts of the gathering should be blamed for the possible exposure to COVID-19, “They didn’t know, you know? We don’t know,” she said.
However, other residents with family ties to the district do not feel the same way.
“It’s a shame; horrible," said Kookie Rosales. "I can’t believe that this is going on. Like, I have grandkids in school, I don’t get it. We try to take care of ourselves, and protect ourselves, and then for something like this to happen to our kids, it’s unreal.”
“It’s totally irresponsible as far as I’m concerned," said Ricky Sponsler, who has a niece who works for the school district. "Not only by the person who held the party, but all the people who were there too. It shouldn’t have happened. They just put the whole community in jeopardy as far as I’m concerned.”
Jim Wells County Judge Juan Rodriguez Jr. said he is disappointed the event took place, but he has not received any formal complaints about it, and has no current plans for any repercussions.
Both the Alice Police Department and the Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office said they did not receive complaints about the event over the weekend, and that there are no current investigations into the event.
