FC Schools Second Semester COVID Plan
by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Wrtier
At the Jan. 4 special called Zoom-format board meeting, Director of Schools Stanley Bean called for hybrid scheduling and a mask mandate at Franklin County High School. Bean said masking should be decided by school principals at all other schools. The board affirmed Beans' recommendations with a vote of confidence.
Many school principals who spoke at the meeting stressed the difficulty of enforcing a masking policy, especially on school buses where drivers trying to police masking compliance could pose a driving safety risk. Principals also noted teacher-masking impeded auditory communication with students. Only three principals spoke in favor of masking.
“If masks prevent spread of the virus, why aren’t we wearing them?” asked Cowan Elementary Principal Cynthia Young.
“Masking is working,” said Sewanee Elementary School Principal Allison Dietz. SES required masking the first semester in compliance with Sewanee’s mask mandate. SES has a higher percentage of COVID cases than other elementary schools except for Rock Creek, but Dietz pointed out, in all but one instance, the student contracted the virus from family members, not at school.
Franklin County High School Principal Roger Alsup said 98 students tested positive, almost 8 percent, and more than 300 students were quarantined due to close contact. Fifty percent of the county schools’ COVID cases occurred at FCHS. “My kids are mobile and social,” Alsup said, “and that’s probably the reason. We can’t go into the second semester doing what we’re doing and expect it to be any better.” Alsup recommended hybrid scheduling and a mask mandate.
Bean explained with a hybrid schedule, half the students would attend class in-person Monday and Thursday, and the other half would attend in-person on Tuesday and Friday; on Wednesdays, the two groups would alternate attending in person. On days students learned from home, they would participate virtually or, if lacking internet access, would be given distance-learning activities to do at home.
Board Chair Cleijo Walker reminded the board they delegated Bean responsibility for managing education practice during the pandemic.
Asked for his recommendation, Bean said, “If I could sew a mask on the face of every student and teacher, and there would be no problems, I would probably do it…The buses are a major issue. Bus drivers cannot pay attention to what the kids are doing behind them and drive the bus.” A hybrid schedule and masking will continue at FCHS until March 11. Bean asked the middle schools to investigate hybrid scheduling in order to be prepared if hybrid scheduling became necessary. Bean emphasized he would “encourage” mask wearing and would “support 100 percent” school principals’ decisions on mask wearing whether pro or con. Parents may choose for their children to participate in school virtually at all grade levels without a doctor’s excuse, Bean said. He stressed hybrid scheduling would be very difficult for parents of elementary school children. He said two parents lost their job when the school system went to virtual Fridays, forced to choose between leaving their children unattended or employment.
Board member Sara Liechty cited statistics showing the indoor classroom environment without masks heightened the spread of COVID-19 due to frequent speaking, close contact, and limited ventilation.
Liechty voted against supporting Bean’s recommendation. Liechty noted several teachers and principals had contracted COVID and one principal had died. Board member Sarah Marhevsky also voted, “no,” but said she supported Alsup’s request for hybrid scheduling and masking. Board member Linda Jones, said she would like to see Bean go into the elementary schools and do PR work in support of masking.
Following the “support of confidence vote,” Marhevsky made a motion calling for district wide-masking. Acknowledging enforcement difficulty, Marhesky gave the example of seat belts. “We don’t take away a good rule because not everybody follows it.” Only Leichty and Marhevsky voted in favor of a district wide mandate.