CHARLOTTE, N.C. — While parents are pushing for students to return to school, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools said they have to work out a few kinks before school is in session full-time again.
At Tuesday night’s CMS board meeting, frustrated parents expressed their disappointment over their children in grades Kindergarten through 5th, being taught virtually instead of being taught in-person.
“I walked in the other day to him holding up his math equations to the camera on screen," one mother said during the virtual board meeting. "My heart broke that this is how my child is learning basic math.”
Another parent co-signing.
“We do some in-person learning, but they’re just not learning.”
CMS K-5th grade students will begin in-person learning on November 2nd, but will not be in the class full-time.
Instead, the grades will be divided into two groups, alternating in class two days a week, every week with Wednesdays reserved for virtual learning.
Some parents say that's still not enough, but CMS says they’re just not prepared to bring every student back full-time for several reasons that include employment and health concerns.
CMS has over 100 vacancies to fill. That includes 37 nurses, 20 teachers, 16 bus drivers and 30 custodians. These are all essential personnel especially considering the pandemic.
Plus, the district is still working to fix 36 schools with poor ventilation. Improper ventilation could cause issues with mildew and germs circulating in the air. Superintendent Earnest Winston says the district is actively working to fix the issue.
“Schools with no outside air have been prioritized with half completed and the others to be finished by the end of the fiscal year," said Winston.