We’ve now completed a little over two weeks of school and within the first week of school in Georgia, we’ve had thousands of students, staff and bus drivers test positive for Covid and have many in quarantine . Every other day, I receive an alert of a new positive case at my child’s school. My daughter comes home with personal conversations she overheard between teachers and its seem we all share the same sentiment; I’m nervous, my kids are nervous, the teachers are nervous. We all seem to be in the same boat of hoping and praying that the school administration will make the best decision and at least offer virtual learning (for those schools that have not already). However, many schools in Georgia seem to be seeking to go on as if Covid and its more deadly Delta variant is not on the rise. Some schools have offered virtual learning but are not even wanting to call it that and others are stating the virtual is only for a short period of a week or two. It’s so senseless and showing that many administrators, for whatever reasons, are not ready to take a look at reality. As a result students, parents, and teachers are left as sitting ducks hoping and praying we dodge the Covid-19 bullet. How can scared students learn in this type of environment? How can nervous teachers teach in this environment? The school system seems so worried about the mental health of children when it involves the parents role yet ignore their major duty to the mental health not only of the students, but also to their very own staff during a pandemic and for what? More funding? For the sake of wanting to continue on as normal? This is not normal, nothing about the school environment and all its malfunctions right now is normal. However, if we simply stop trying to rush “returning to normal” and accept things as they actually are, then perhaps, with time and patience, things will return to normal again. Honestly, I cant help but wonder why school administrations would seemingly sacrifice our children and teachers rather than do the right thing and offer the large percentage of nervous kids and staff the opportunity to choose which is the safest environment for them as individuals to learn or teach in.

For now, until our schools meet their proposed “quota” for positive Covid cases needed to offer the virtual option, to protect my school age kids, I am:

-Limiting their exposure around other kids such as not using school transportation or attending after-school functions including sports and clubs.

-Rolling down windows and wearing a mask picking up my kids in order to allow them a break from hours of wearing their mask.

-Making my kids bath and change clothes as soon as they enter the house from school

-Daily reminds to social distance six feet.

-Daily reminds to only remove mask (if needed) when no one is around then replace it

-Increasing my children’s fresh fruit and veggie intake

-Providing them with dietary supplements for their immune system

-Saying a prayer of health and protection before drop offs

-Daily remind of constant handwashing and avoid anyone showing symptoms of Covid/ any area where someone is actively coughing

I know these are minor steps, but as I learn more, I’ll do more. What are you doing to protect you and your school age kids?