FORT WORTH, Texas — Parents have different perspectives as they make decisions on how to send their children back to school.
“We have two weeks to decide,” said Rachel Southard. She has a 6-year-old and 8-year-old at Fort Worth ISD. Southard has been indecisive about in-person or online learning for her kids.
“I was really leaning towards in-person,” said Celena Fannin, the mother of a kindergartener.
“We have decided to do virtual,” said Tiffany Rogers. Her daughter is going to be in 5th grade this fall.
On Monday, Fort Worth ISD released a 23-page plan for the upcoming school year, outlining different guidelines for in-school or virtual learning. Parents were given a deadline of August 3rd to decide what they want to do for the first grading period of six weeks. Fort Worth public schools would start under the traditional schedule, August 17th, regardless of which option families choose.
However, a new Tarrant County order announced Tuesday requires all schools in the county to do online learning until September 28th. These Fort Worth moms are now adjusting to the new change.
“Honestly, I am grateful to know what the next six weeks is going to hold,” said Fannin. She feels a sense of relief that the decision for the first six of school has been made for her. She said she and a lot of parents are feeling “decision fatigue." Fannin’s job has been flexible, but she has to be back in the office in August, so she is looking to hire someone to help her son with online learning.
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For Rogers, she is with the Fort Worth PTA. She already decided on virtual learning before the Tarrant County order was put in place, so she said it doesn’t change her plans much. She said learning at home has been a lot of trial and error, and a learning experience for her whole family. “[My daughter] has those moments, like all of us, when is this going to end? But overall, she is doing very well.” As much as Rogers is planning for the first six weeks of online school, she knows more changes are likely to come.
For Southard, she wants more communication from the district. “If they knew [the Tarrant County order] was coming, why did they put out the 23-page plan yesterday? It just makes it even more chaotic and confusing.” She said virtual learning was a nightmare for her children in the spring, but the health and safety of her kids is her number one priority.
Every family has a different story, and different needs. But one thing aligns for these Fort Worth moms – they want the best for their kids.