CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Another shakeup in schools after Governor Roy Cooper announced that public schools in the state can allow kindergarten through 5th graders back in the buildings full time, with social distancing measures and masks, starting October 5.
The announcement came 24 hours after CMS leaders put a plan in place for a transition to Plan B. Officials say they are sticking with that plan and they will not speed up the timeline.
But some teachers say the plan they are going with is not ideal.
A first-grade teacher at a CMS school wanted to remain anonymous out of fear of retribution but told WCNC Charlotte this entire school year has been a challenge. She said virtual learning isn’t working well for her or her students, but she’s still too nervous to go back into her classroom, even part-time.
"I would love nothing more to be back in the classroom with students because that's who I am. But I will not be going back to CMS,” she said.
She said her classroom hasn’t been cleaned once since she left in March and the air conditioning in the building is broken. Once kids are back in the classroom, she said teachers will have new job duties.
"We are going to be responsible for sanitizing and disinfecting the room, the desks, everything they touch,” she said.
She’s thinking about taking family leave to protect her health and that of her family.
"I'm there to educate. And if it's not safe to do so, I don't want to be there,” she said.”
CMS will bring the youngest students back. Pre-K students will be in class full time starting on October 12. K-5 students will start a rotation of in person and virtual learning on November 2. Middle schoolers go back November 23 and high schoolers will have to wait until January 5, 2021.
Iredell-Statesville Schools will bring Pre-K to 5th graders back full time starting October 5.
Union and Lincoln County Schools will meet next week to discuss how to move forward.