Williamson County parents question COVID-19 restrictions amid enrollment

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (WTVF) — On Tuesday Williamson County parents had to enroll their children in virtual or in-person school, and many of them are wondering what COVID-19 restrictions will be like next school year.

At a school board meeting Monday evening, some parents demanded that masks be optional in the fall, and others wanted to know if strict COVID-19 quarantine guidelines will change.

Due to the rule controversies, Kristin Benton let her children homeschool this year. "We felt it was better to have a consistent schedule for them day to day instead of roulette,” Benton said. "Because there’s been so much inconsistency in the application of the guidelines, that just makes us really nervous."

However, for the upcoming school year she plans to enroll them back in-person in Williamson County Schools.

"I don’t know how any of us can know what the fall is going to look like,” Benton said, “To make a decision for in-person or virtual, especially with so much changing with vaccines, there’s just so many moving targets."

Lori Thompson picked in-person after the school board meeting, but she dislikes that she's stuck in her choice for the entire year. "Just trying to advocate for what they think should be a parent’s choice. At some level we have to know that we’re going to have the coronavirus with us forever."

She wants to know a concrete plan for how the district plans to go back to normal.

"So I guess that was the biggest disappointment for me, was them not making any type of decision for next year, whether it be mask optional or masks on," Thompson said.

We reached out to the Williamson County Schools spokesperson on the mask and quarantine plans for next year but have not heard back yet.