With the rise in Delta variant cases and students returning to the classroom soon, some parents are concerned about their kids safety.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) released new guidance for school districts to follow, including whether school districts are not allowed to mandate masks. Schools do not have to inform parents of a positive case, are not required to conduct contract tracing, and if a school does contact trace, parents can still choose to send a child to school.
"I don't want to send them because obviously governor Abbott is not mask mandating and I get that's everyone's choice and everyone's right but ultimately my daughter, her life means more to me than a mask," Kimberly Richards said, a Central Texas mother.
Richards has two daughters who were set to be back in the classroom this year, but after learning about the TEA's new guidance she made the decision to pull her girls out of school just as they were about to begin.
Now they'll be home schooled
"I hate making this decision and of course my kids schooling does matter but so does their life," Richards said.
She said she's fortunate enough to have a part-time job that allows her to do home schooling.
Richards said she's not blaming any of the local school districts because she believes they're doing what they can. She's concerned about the governor and TEA's decisions because they affect her kids.
"We didn't go through any of this when we were kids, we never had to deal with any of this," Richards said, "and in a child's eyes you just have to wonder, they have to think this is crazy."
Richards said she's not sure if and when her daughters will return to school but right now she's just doing what she believes is best for her family.
"It's a lot of work but ultimately if it's going to keep my girls safe that's what I'll do," Richards said.
On social media other parents have expressed concerns about TEA's guidance as students gear up to go back to school.
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