Parent launches petition for Wake County to expand last-minute access for Virtual Academy

Just days away from the start of classes, parents in Wake County are petitioning the school district for more virtual learning options.

This comes as COVID cases continue to rise in North Carolina. However, the district says they’ve run out of time.

Wake County will be following strict quarantine rules that could keep students who test positive or get exposed to the virus out of school for up to three weeks. Some parents say they don’t want to take that chance with the rise of the Delta variant.

The district has plans in place to keep students as safe as possible. but some parents still don't feel comfortable sending their children to in-person learning. A petition is now circulating among Wake County parents for the school system to allow more students into the county's virtual academy.

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“I am really worried," said Kumar. "I am really very worried.”

Kumar has already pulled her daughter, Anika, out of Salem Middle School after five days of going in person. Kumar said people were crammed into the lunch room with about 100 or more kids in there at one point.

“If we want to go virtual because we are worried about the COVID situation, we should be given that option.”

Meanwhile, kids like Ramsie Arnott are excited over a new school year about to start. Arnott and other Wake County students will be required to wear a mask at school.

“I am excited to see all my friends but socially distanced,” said Ramsie, who's starting fourth grade this year.

If Ramsie's exposed to the virus, she could have to quarantine, meaning she'd spend less time in school and more time at home.

“I think they’ll have to go back to the old times where you got your homework listed and you turned it in," said grandmother Mary Ali. "I think that gets into the parent’s responsibility to get it into the school.”

Hypothetically, if an infected person in a mask came into contact with other students in masks, then only the infected person will need to quarantine.

But if an infected person is unmasked — perhaps at lunch — other students in close contact will need to quarantine. Most quarantines will last between 7 and 14 days.