Durham Public Schools vote to move classes online

All students will receive a laptop and access to a hotspot in order to learn online.

"They told me they are professional, they are resilient. They care about our babies. They are going to do the best they can to make sure that our students are learning the standards that I've established. For that reason, board members and community members, I'm going to recommend tonight that DPS, we need to move to 'Plan C' for the next nine weeks," Mubenga said during the board meeting.

Durham's "Plan B" mix of in-person and remote learning calls for having all high school students stay at home for online instruction, while elementary and middle school students would be taught in person, using the empty high schools to shift classes around for social distancing.

"The unanimous part is pretty amazing. I'm really, really relieved to see a decision from DPS leadership that so clearly reflected the concerns of a lot of the staff and parents in the district," said Millie Rosen, a teacher at Durham School of the Arts. "My other initial reaction is that it makes me kind of sad we had to fight this hard just because we get to the point where we aren't going to get martyred."

School systems adapt after governor's push for return to the classroom

Other school districted also decided Thursday night to shift to Plan. Joining DPS in online classes were Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Chatham County Schools, Orange County Schools and Warren County Schools.