Some parents frustrated over Union County Public School’s handling of COVID exposures

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Since the beginning of the school year, mask requirements have been a heated topic of discussion. Now, hundreds of parents in Union County say the district’s mask-optional policy has done more harm than good.

One parent said her son has missed almost half of the school year because he’s been at home in quarantine due to COVID-19 exposures at school.

“It’ been horrible,” said parent Sofia Lai. “He’s been out almost four weeks.”

Lai said thankfully, her son, who goes to Weddington Middle School, has tested negative each time. She also said while her son wears a mask, many of his classmates don’t.

“He says no one wears masks around him,” Lai said.

Every time there’s an exposure, the health department texts parents to let them know.

“Your child has been exposed, this is the day you can take your test, this is the date you can go back, and this is what you have to do,” Lai said.

She said the last time, her son returned from one exposure only to be notified he was exposed in class again the very next day.

“He went back Tuesday and was exposed again on Wednesday,” she said.

The district also doesn’t have any online learning this year, and parents told Channel 9 that the resources the district does provide are scarce.

“There is no online learning. We use Canvas, which is what everyone uses in school,” Lai said. “There is some instruction in there but not enough for anybody to really learn anything.”

Lai said all of this has taken a toll on her son who takes pride in his grades.

“I haven’t seen him in tears, up until this year. Every time he finds out he’s in quarantine, he’s in tears. He’s mad he can’t be with his friends and mad that he’s going to fall behind in school,” she said.

Lai is joining hundreds of other Union County parents who plan to make their voices heard at the school board meeting next Thursday.

After what they call a disastrous school year, the parents said they want the board to make masks mandatory to bring some consistency back to the classroom.

(WATCH BELOW: Masks remain optional in Union County Public Schools)

Masks remain optional in Union County Public Schools

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