Rock Hill Schools nurses beg district for help because of ‘unsafe’ conditions during COVID-19

ROCK HILL, S.C. — School nurses did not hold back in front of the Rock Hill school board Thursday night, saying things need to change right now; and they’re begging the leadership for help.

“This environment we are working in with our students is unsafe for our students, and I want you to hear that this is an unsafe environment for our students,” one nurse said.

Some school nurses have sent more students home to quarantine in the first month of school this year than all of last year.

“14 days into the new school year, there are no more smiles from staff or students. Fear has replaced all the smiles and excitement,” a nurse said.

More than 1,500 students are under COVID-19 quarantine and there are more than 200 active cases. Nurses spend all their time contact tracing and tracking sick kids, and it doesn’t end when they go home.

Anna Faircloth is a nurse at Sullivan Middle School where 254 students are quarantined, the most in the district.

“From the moment I walk into our school, there’s a lobby full of students and family members wanting clarification on a quarantine status, vaccination status, or if their child had a positive COVID test,” she said.

Diane Graebner has been the nurse at Northside Elementary for 15 years. She said COVID-19 issues have swamped them and made it impossible to do their jobs and protect children. They’re bombarded by parents trying to understand school policies.

“One of our nurses reported 265 missed calls on her answering machine in one day. That same day she had 30 unanswered voicemails,” Graebner said.

They’re asking the school board to hire more people, and do a better job of communicating to families what their policies are. Nurses are doing too much of that now.

“I’m not afraid of working hard, but it is a struggle when I’m emotionally, mentally and physically drained,” a nurse said.

As for parents who are still asking for a mask mandate in schools, the board said Thursday night that is illegal, and they can’t risk not being able to pay their teachers and shutting down schools, when all they’re trying to do is keep schools open.

Chester County and York District One are two school districts in our area that defied state law and implemented mask mandates. Both said they will continue to require masks despite the ruling.

(Watch Below: CMS shares plans on COVID-19 testing for staff and students)

CMS shares plans on COVID-19 testing for staff and students

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