UNION COUNTY, N.C. — The Union County Board of Education met at 7 p.m. Tuesday to discuss a resolution filed by Union County leaders to call upon state leaders to end certain COVID-19 protocols in public schools.
The board of education ultimately approved the resolution in an 8-1 vote. UCPS board member John J. Kirkpatrick IV was the single 'no' vote.
The joint resolution calls on North Carolina to end contact tracing and quarantine protocols for COVID-19 that are currently in place by the Department of Health and Human Services for public school students.
A portion of the resolution says both parties are calling on the state to "take whatever actions are necessary to end the practice on contact tracing and quarantining of students on or before January 19, 2022."
Students currently under quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19 protocols are asked to remain in quarantine and isolation at this time and follow instructions provided by their school.
At least two groups of parents rallied outside Tuesday's Union County Public Schools Board of Education meeting, which came just one day after county leaders filed a joint resolution to end certain COVID-19 protocols in schools. One group of parents supported a mask mandate in schools. Another group rallied in support of the measure.
“This is a huge step in the right direction and I am so proud of Union County for being leaders in challenging the quarantine rules that have burdened us all," parent Jessica Cook said.
Other parents say instead of relief, the decision to approve the resolution is bringing them concern.
“All that does is put all of these kids and their families in danger," parent K. Lee Smith with SOS Union County said. "Now they’re not even going to know when they’ve been exposed. They’ll take it home to their grandparents, aunts and uncles. It’s going to spread through the community."
Union County has been in the headlines throughout the 2021-22 school year as district leaders have maintained a mask-optional policy for students and staff members.
In September, the district and county health leaders reached an agreement on how to identify and exclude students and staff with COVID-19, as well as identifying close contacts. As part of the agreement, the county health department and school district share the responsibility of contact tracing: the district will provide "sufficient" information on likely close contacts of positive cases in the classroom to the health department, which will then provide isolation and quarantine information to students and staff.
Contact Briana Harper at bharper@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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