One Franklin school had been hoping to send all its students outside to watch Monday’s historic eclipse, but had to change plans just days before.
Creekside Elementary School officials had been working with two vendors to get 600 pairs of eclipse glasses for its students and staff. But recently, the companies told the school they couldn’t guarantee that the glasses were legitimate and would have enough protection, principal Mark Heiden said.
“Of course without that assurance, we aren’t going to risk our students’ eyes,” he said.
Instead, students will stay inside, watching a live video feed of the eclipse, and participating in other activities centered on the eclipse as a learning opportunity, Heiden said.
“Luckily, there is a plethora of great teaching materials,” Heiden said.
The school did not have to pay for the glasses, he said. School officials had reserved 600 pairs of glasses, but canceled that when the vendor couldn’t guarantee they were the proper ones for viewing the eclipse. So no money was ever spent, Heiden said.
Counterfeit eclipse glasses are a big problem right now, Heiden said. He worries that people who have already gotten glasses could have gotten ones that are fake, he said.
Like at all Franklin schools, students with their own eclipse viewing glasses and a signed permission slip will be allowed outside to watch the eclipse, he said.
