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Fort Worth ISD parents begin deciding on in-person or online classes for 2020-2021 school year
Parents in Fort Worth and other districts are beginning to decide whether or not to send their children back to school in person this fall.
FORT WORTH, Texas - Parents in Fort Worth and other districts are beginning to decide whether or not to send their children back to school in person this fall.
Wednesday was the first day of Fort Worth ISD’S mandatory online registration, where parents will let the district know of their intentions when classes resume in August.
“Districts have to plan like Fort Worth and the choices parents make will help the district make plans on what in-person and virtual learning will look like,” said Stephen Poole, President, United Educators Association of Texas.
Poole feels the desire to transition from virtual schoolwork back to the actual classroom is there. But it’s a challenge for all involved due to the lack of clear direction, so far, from state officials.
“Parents are in a no-win situation right now trying to make decisions based on information that is lacking. That’s not Fort Worth ISD‘s fault that’s the states fault,” Poole said. “The governor and Texas Education Agency is going to have to get their act together providing some guidance to school districts so parents feel comfortable making those informed decisions about their children.”
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FWISD Superintendent Kent Scribner said they are trying their best to work with parents.
“Although we are asking parents to indicate a preference ... we are also cognizant that conditions may change and we will make every reasonable effort to accommodate parents' concerns,” he said in a statement.
Poole says specific questions need to be addressed to help parents make informed decisions.
“How do we bus students? How do we keep them socially distanced on buses? What do we do for classrooms? Are masks going to be mandatory at the state level? Those kinds of answers -- only the governor and Texas Education Agency can provide,” Poole said.
The district has not set a deadline for online registration.
MORE: Interactive map of Texas COVID-19 cases