KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Knox County mother said that she is frustrated with the school system after her fifth-grade child was possibly exposed to COVID-19 in the classroom, but she was never notified.
Rebecca Deloa said that her daughter, who goes to Farragut Intermediate School also was not sent home. She said that some other children in her class have now gotten sick as well.
"The next day, two of her other classmates went home sick," she said. "She came home that day and within a matter of 5 or 6 hours, she started displaying symptoms as well."
Deloa said that Knox County Schools' lack of communication put her entire family in a tough spot, especially after officials spent much of the previous year contact tracing and letting parents know if students had possibly been exposed. This year, Knox County Schools is depending on the Knox County Health Department for contact tracing.
"I asked her what vicinity the children were in her classroom, and unfortunately it was just her cluster of desks," said Deloa. "So we kind of knew then there might be an issue."
Her husband is the only breadwinner of the home but now he has to take time off work because he was potentially exposed to COVID-19. So, she said the family's ability to make money has been put on hold since he does not get paid time off or sick leave at his job.
"Honestly, this probably won't be the first or last thing we're going to have to juggle as we go through this school year," she said. "It had been proven effective, so why would something like this be taken away now that this Delta variant is out?"
Knox County Schools was not immediately available for a comment on this story. Deloa also said that she is starting to feel sick and her whole family is planning to quarantine so they don't spread COVID-19.