NACOGDOCHES, Texas — The 2021-2022 school year is quickly approaching, leaving some parents and students worried as the new coronavirus Delta variant increases cases across the country.
Pamela Tate, a grandmother of two, thinks it’s still a little bit early for kids to be returning to in-person learning.
"It is scary with them going back to school, with the new variants coming out," Tate said. "But with this disease, it's almost like the most you can do is pray about it to make sure that, you know, it keeps contained."
The Texas Education Agency released new COVID-19 and health guidelines for schools to follow this fall.
The statement released states:
"All schools must notify their local health authority and the Texas Department of State Health Services of test-confirmed cases of COVID-19, whether it be any teacher, staff member, student or visitor. In accordance with Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order, schools cannot require students or staff to wear masks. Conversely, schools must allow individuals to wear a mask should they choose to do so."
Schools must exclude students from attending school in person who are actively sick with COVID-19 or who have received a positive test result for COVID-19, according to TEA's guidance. The TEA also said parents must ensure they do not send a child to school on campus if the child has COVID-19 symptoms or is test-confirmed with COVID-19, until the conditions for re-entry are met.
With virtual learning not an option this year, some parents fear a potential COVID-19 outbreak within the schools.
Kamariah Sims, who will be entering the 6th grade this year, feels that potential fear.
"I feel pretty safe but then again I don't because the virus is still out here," Kamariah Sims says.
Her father Benford Sims feels the same way but believes in a higher source of protection.
"I'm okay with it, but then again, you know, I'm not, but I mean, as long as they mask up and keep the hand sanitizer and stuff like that, it'd be fine," Sims said. "We got God, God is protected.”
Les Linebarger, Chief Communications Officer of Nacogdoches, says his district will continue to monitor the virus closely as the district enters into yet another unusual school year.
"In our schools, it concerns us," Linebarger said. "It concerns all of us just like whether it's someone who is operating a public school or someone operating a business that's going to be in the back of their minds. We're going to do everything that we're allowed to do to try to slow the tide is or stem the tide of the spread of COVID."
