KNOX COUNTY, Tenn — In Hamblen County, the school district didn't offer a virtual option for students.
"The way they set it up, it was financially unmanageable," director of schools Dr. Jeff Perry said. "We could not have staffed it... basically, they made it impossible for us to do."
The result is something Dr. Perry had hoped to avoid. Roughly 354 students and staff member have tested positive for the virus. Another 560 are quarantined, according to the district's Facebook page.
"We're sitting in very crowded classrooms and it's very difficult to sometimes socially distance in those classrooms," he said. "We don't have a mask mandate to help us."
The strict guidelines from the state are frustrating for parents like Chris May.
"When [school] first started, the cases weren't as high as they are now," he said. "Now, the cases are getting worse than they ever were."
May's entire family is fully vaccinated. Still, he worries about his daughter attending in-person classes.
"With me and my wife's age, we'd rather just have her be virtual," he said. "I don't understand [the lack of precautions]. It's frustrating."
Some Knox County parents are facing a similar dilemma.
"We were really excited to get her back and now it's frankly a decision every day about whether it's really safe to send her," said Nate Kelly.
He said he's upset at the lack of COVID-19 precautions Knox County Schools it taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19, like masks, social distancing contact tracing.
"We're not really taking any serious effort at all to do anything to protect our kids from the spread and to protect the rest of our community, too," he said.
On Monday, Knox County Schools reported at least 221 students and staff have COVID-19 right now. The actual number is likely higher due to reporting delays from the Knox County Health Department.
"This is at least one little step in the right direction," Nate Kelly said. "I hope that it's the first of many."