Local Leaders Comfortable With Schools Reopening

WAAY-31's Sydney Martin talked to community leaders about why parents should send their children back to school this fall and if they'd feel comfortable with the current plans in place

Syd, "huntsville mayor tommy battle told me the numbers he's seen show about 25 percent of huntsville city school students have chosen to learn online this fall.

Friday, the mayor and the madison county health officer said they're comfortable with kids heading back to the classroom ."

Landers "if all the measures were in place and the numbers were going in the right direction, and with the guidance of the people who are experts, in the education system i would feel i could send my children, because i believe these educators want what's best for these children."

Madison county health officer karen landers said if she had school aged children, she'd send them to school next month as long as the numbers are going in the right direction..

Landers: "i want to see the numbers flattening out.

I want to see the numbers going down."

Right now, the numbers going up.

But, huntsville mayor tommy battle said his grandson will attend huntsville city schools in person next month.

Battle "part of his education is also learning good hygiene.

Part of his education is learning to wash his hands to stay separated to stay sanitized."

The school district's current one hundred and ten page reopening plan requires students to wear a mask.

And parents have told us they're concerned about students keeping them on..

Battle said it's something his family's practicing.

Battle " i'm not sure how successful we are but we are working on that right now."

A lot of parents are working on deciding if they should send their children back to traditional classrooms. in huntsville, the deadline is next friday.

The school district is encouraging students to choose its virtual academy for at least the first semester.

Landers " parents and caregivers have to make the decision that they are most comfortable with and they feel is best for their children."

Battle " i think this will be a year where learning will be very different than it has been in the past, but i think this is part of the learning process that will come in."

What we've learned so far is all plans are subject to change because of the coronavirus.

In huntsville sm waay 31 news.