Knox County school board will vote Wednesday, April 14, on a policy for Covid-19 protocols for the 2021-22 school year. You can read the current policy here.
The April 7 workshop went for four hours with 20 or so speakers. Discussion centered on whether to require staff and students to wear masks. Here is a clue to understanding this:
Four board members wore masks: Evetty Satterfield, Daniel Watson, Virginia Babb, Kristi Kristy.
Four board members did not: Susan Horn, Patti Bounds, Betsy Henderson, Mike McMillan. (Jennifer Owen was sick and could not attend.)
Superintendent Bob Thomas recommended protocols based on CDC and the state and county health departments guidance. Not good enough for new member Betsy Henderson who wants clarity. Saying since “We’re getting near the end of the pandemic,” she wants to sunset the existing policy.
Bounds favors personal choice – let parents decide whether or not their kid wears a mask.
McMillan said “if things (in the fall) are like they are now,” he wants to discontinue the mask mandate.
Watson battled back, saying he had received 157 emails about masks. He read every one and put the comments on a spreadsheet. There were doctors, parents and teachers on both sides. “The reality is, our constituents are unclear.”
Kristy said she doesn’t feel comfortable making a decision in April for next August.
Horn said the board must act. Her constituents are deciding now whether to stay or leave Knox County Schools – to homeschool or go private.
Meanwhile, the April deadline for parents to decide whether their child will go virtual or in-person in the upcoming school year has been postponed. This statement was posted by KCS: “On Monday, April 12, the State Board of Education will hold a special-called meeting to consider a rule that would impact our virtual options in the upcoming school year.
“As a result, Knox County Schools is postponing our enrollment window for virtual learning for the 2021-22 school year. This postponement will give our district more time to obtain guidance about the State Board’s decision and to determine our plan for virtual learning.”
