CHARLOTTE — In two weeks, thousands of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students and teachers will return to the classroom for the new year. With the delta variant of COVID-19 spreading at an alarming rate across our community, district leaders on Tuesday laid out how they plan to keep everyone safe.
“Our full attention is on opening the schools for the 2021-2022 school year,” Superintendent Earnest Winston said. “As we have stated, we plan to open and operate schools as close to normal as possible.”
[COUNTY BY COUNTY: Local school districts’ mask-wearing policies]
Winston said Tuesday night that there are no current plans to require staff to become vaccinated. He added that no other school district has taken that approach yet, either.
[Your guide to which companies and local businesses require masks]
The CMS Board of Education heard an extensive presentation on Tuesday from district staff members on how they are preparing for the upcoming school year. The school district still has dozens of employee vacancies with classes starting in two weeks.
CMS still wants to hire:
- 123 teachers
- 77 bus drivers
- 23 nurses
CMS is considering hiring bonuses using COVID-19 relief funds to fill the positions. The district is ensuring every school is stocked with PPE, from masks to hand sanitizer.
School leaders will also provide a COVID-19 testing program, but details haven’t been fleshed out yet.
Masks will be required in CMS schools this year.
Masking remains one of the most contentious topics, and that was the case again during Tuesday night’s public comment. Board members once again heard from parents and teachers on the mandate.
“Parental rights have never included bioterrorism,” said parent Staci Staggs. “Sending a knowingly infected and contagious people to mingle and infect others is bioterrorism.”
“Please strictly enforce the masking guidance and opt out form,” said teacher Steve Oreskovic. “Denying we have a responsibility to others around us is shameful and deceitful.”
“Mandatory masking of our children is vehemently wrong and unconstitutional and we will not tolerate it,” said another parent, Keith Peiffer.
“I urge all children and parents not to comply with the tyrannical muzzling order,” said parent Jacob Barnett. “We need unified noncompliance. Do not listen to these people.”
[Mayor Vi Lyles backtracks after claiming she can’t mandate masks in Charlotte]
CMS said students will not have to quarantine after a positive case if they are masked and symptom-free. Close contacts who do have to quarantine, will have to do so for 10 days -- or seven days if a student tests negative after five days and remains symptom-free.
(WATCH BELOW: CMS board votes to require masking at school as NC COVID cases surge)
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