GREENSBORO, N.C. — Winston-Salem Forsyth County school leaders gathered for a special board meeting for an update on coronavirus trends Tuesday.
Before the meeting a small group of parents stood outside the districts education building with signs asking the board to let their children back in school.
Parents said keeping their children home is negatively impacting their mental health.
In October, the school board voted to have second, third and sixth graders return to the classroom Jan 11.
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They'll join Pre-K and first graders who went back before the holiday break.
All other students will wait until the Jan. 18 to start a phased re-entry that'll happen throughout the rest of this month.
Racheal Mcphee a mother with two children in Winston-Salem Forsyth County schools said her children shouldn’t have to wait.
“I think it's a fine line balancing everything, but I think we need to give people the opportunity to send their kids back,” Mcphee said. “If they don’t want to, and E-learning works great for them fine but my children shouldn't be made to suffer.”
Candace Moran has a 7th grade daughter who will have to wait until the 18th to go back to school.
Moran said her daughter’s metal health is suffering.
“It’s not spread in school the kids they need to be back,” Moran said. “This is the second year they're not able to learn. This virtual learning is not a good system.
According to the Forsyth County Health Department, the county's positivity rate is 16.2%.
Some parents commented on the school districts Facebook page concerned about the number.
Some said they'd rather keep their children learning virtually.
The school board is not expected to make any decisions at Tuesday’s meeting.
Just an update on coronavirus numbers and re-visit plans to bring some students back next Monday.
