KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knox County Schools Superintendent Bob Thomas, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs and all nine KCS Board of Education members sent Tennessee Governor Bill Lee a letter asking him to allow students to participate in extracurricular activities even during periods of remote learning on Tuesday.
"Participation in extra-curricular activities is optional, healthy, and keeps our students off the streets and involved in school. With this month being National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, we are concerned that restricting these opportunities will adversely affect our students' mental and physical well-being," the letter states.
Two Knox County high schools, Austin-East Magnet and Central, have already had to move to remote learning for a four-day period due to substitute shortages and absences among staff and students.
Extracurricular activities were canceled for the four-day period when it was announced on Saturday that the two high schools would have to move to virutal learning from Sept. 7 to Sept. 10.
"Respectfully, we are requesting that you re-consider prohibiting extra-curricular activities during the periods of remote instruction or allows district to make such decisions based on the situation in our community," the letter states.
As of Tuesday, KCS reported 277 active cases among its students and 54 among staff members. The Tennessee Department of Health said at least 1,300 school-aged children (5 to 18) in Knox County have tested positive in the last week.