Rutherford County Schools will reopen in August and provide distance learning options, officials decided.
"We have to send these kids a back to school," Board of Education member Coy Young said in joining a unanimous 7-0 vote for a traditional plan to reopen the district's 49 schools serving an estimated 49,000 students.
The board expects to make a decision at a later meeting in July to determine if the school year should start with half days for students instead of going straight to the first full day Aug. 7.
The approved motion gives the board the right to make changes to this plan based on ongoing data about Covid-19. The previous school year ended early to avoid the spread of coronvirus.
Parents will be able to choose distance learning for a semester, and their children will be required to complete 6.5 hours of instruction each day, Schools Director Bill Spurlock said.
Students at campus who become infected will be quarantined until their symptoms are gone and then can return, Spurlock said.
The Murfreesboro City School Board also will consider a reopening plan during a 6 p.m. Tuesday meeting at City Hall.
The coronavirus has been on the rise in Tennessee and Rutherford County, which had a count of 3,326 cases and 38 deaths as of Thursday. The first reported case in Rutherford County was March 13, and the single day high came on Wednesday with 123 cases.
Masks not mandated
The decision excluded whether to make masks mandatory. Board member Lisa Moore said masks in some cases can be difficult, such as for children with asthma.
Staff suggested that bus riders and drivers will be required to wear masks, and the seat behind the driver must remain empty.
The administrators also said plans are in place to provide the drivers cleaning supplies to spray down the buses after delivering children. Teachers also will get these supplies to clean classrooms after children leave.
Prior to the vote, the board heard three fathers urge them to approve the traditional reopening of schools. Another father spoke against using a hybrid approach that keeps children distance learning three days a week and on campus twice a week.
Two teachers spoke about their concerns about the school reopening being unsafe.
A mother asked the school officials to be prepared for the safe reopening of schools.
Distance learning concerns
Board members opposed a distance learning plan for all students.
"I have concern about our children being able to fully work online," board member Tiffany Johnson said.
Fellow board member Jeff Jordan said the county has remote rural areas without unreliable access to the internet.
"So many people don’t have enough computers in the home," said Jordan, who questioned if all students will be able to complete 6.5 hours of instruction for 180 days. "I have never met that child."
Young proposes bonuses for teachers
Given teachers will face greater challenges, Young suggested that the board give them bonuses of $3,000 to $5,000 to return to schools. No decision was made on Young's proposal.
Fellow board member Terry Hodge said teachers should be reimbursed if they have to spend their own money on cleaning supplies.
The district will be providing the teachers with spray bottles to clean the rooms, said Trey Lee, the assistant superintendent for engineering and construction.
Note: This story will be updated.
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Reach reporter Scott Broden at sbroden@dnj.com or 615-278-5158, and on Twitter @ScottBroden.
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Rutherford County Schools will reopen in August with traditional option - Daily News Journal
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