KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — The Knox County’s Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Wednesday after Knox County Schools reported nearly 9,000 absences, according to board member, Susan Horn.
The meeting comes as Knox County Schools reported that one in seven students did not show up for class on Thursday, meaning a total of nearly 9,000 absences.
Spanish Version: Líderes de KCS realizarán reunión especial después de que reportaran casi 9,000 ausencias el jueves pasado
The special meeting will take place at 5 p.m. immediately prior to the board’s regularly scheduled work session on September 1, Horn said.
"I do think the climate has changed," said Virginia Babb. "I think this summer things were going relatively well."
Officials said they will vote on several COVID-19 policies. First, they will vote on a new policy that would allow students in isolation or under quarantine orders for COVID-19 to be counted as present if they participate in remote instruction. Teachers will be able to verify a student's attendance by calling them, or if the student participates in synchronous virtual instruction.
They are also proposing a policy allowing full-time employees who test positive for COVID-19 are under an isolation order to use special "COVID-19 Isolation Leave" time to stay home. They will need a written note from a physician, and can only stay home for 10 workdays during a two-week period.
Betsy Henderson proposed creating a school-based COVID-19 dashboard that would track COVID-19 cases in each school. The proposal would also require administrators to notify parents of possible exposures in students' grades and provide them with recommended actions.
There are also two kinds of universal masking proposals up for a vote. The first, proposed by Daniel Watson, would require all students, teachers administrators, staff and visitors to wear masks while indoors. It includes a mask requirement on buses. The requirement will end when the Knox County transmission rate reaches moderate levels or below for a two-week period.
The other universal masking proposal from Virginia Babb only requires students, staff and visitors in Pre-K through 5th grade to wear masks while inside and on school buses. After they are approved the get the COVID-19 vaccine, they will not be required to wear masks.
Both proposals allow for parents to submit a form that would allow them to opt students out of the mask requirement.
"I do think a mandate with an opt-out option is stronger language and might get more parents to do it, and those that are so adamantly against masks have the option to get out," Babb said. "So honestly I don’t want to hear from them if they do that."
They also plan to discuss and possibly take action about COVID-19 contract tracing in schools.
“We’re dealing with a highly contagious virus,” Horn said.
School board member Patti Bounds defended the district’s handling of the pandemic on Friday, saying she “supports the superintendent.”
The district does not have rules on social distancing or masks this school year. The Knox County Health Department is in charge of contact tracing cases.
“I still feel like the best choice is to let parents make that decision,” Bounds said regarding the mask mandate.
She acknowledged the “challenges” the district is facing with the increase in COVID-19 cases among students and staff.
"Let's look at what’s going on in the community and let's be reflective of what’s going on in the community and try to do the best we can to keep our kids in school the best we can," Babb said.