KC's recommendation to delay school forces parents to adjust

New guidance from Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas and the city health department to delay the re-opening of schools until after Labor Day impacts area families.

BUT FIRST TONIGHT -- ARECOMMENDATION TODELAY THE START OFSCHOOL IN KANSAS CITY.THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTAND MAYOR URGE SCHOOLTO NOT START UNTILAFTER LABOR DAY.THE I-TEAM'S ANDYALCOCK HAS MORE ONTHE ANNOUNCEMENT ANDHOW PARENTS WILLHANDLE THE CHANGE.ANNIE WATSON/MOTHER OFFOUR CHILDREN"There's clearly a lack ofcoordinating messages andguidance."ANNIE WATSON IS THEMOTHER OF FOURCHILDREN.10 YEAR OLD HADDIE, 6YEAR OLD HENRY, FOURYEAR OLD HAZEL AND 11MONTH OLD HARVEY...THREE OF THEM ATTENDTHREE DIFFERENTSCHOOLS.WATSON SAID SHE JUSTLEARNED FROM THOSESCHOOLS THEIRAPPROACHES TO INSCHOOL LEARNING,VIRTUAL LEARNING OR ACOMBINATION OF BOTH OFTHEM.WHILE SHE'S NOTSURPRISED BY THERECOMMENDATION TODELAY SCHOOL OPENINGSUNTIL AFTER LABOR DAY,HER CHILDREN HAVEALREADY BEEN HOME FORMONTHS.WITH BOTH SHE AND HERHUSBAND WORKING,SCHEDULE COORDINATIONIS KEY."My oldest, who is 10 is goingto have to continue to providea level of child care."WHILE THE SITUATIONPROVIDES A CHALLENGEFOR THE WATSON FAMILY,ANNIE ALSO SAID SHE ANDHER HUSBAND ARE IN ABETTER POSITION TOHANDLE IT THAN OTHERFAMILIES.IN PARTICULAR, ANNIESAID THERE MAY BEPARENTS WHO HAVE TOCHOOSE BETWEEN A JOBAND ADDITIONAL CHILDCARE."We already have a verycomplicated and challengingeducation system in KansasCity.

We really can't be addingany additional barriers tothat."MAYOR QUINTON LUCAS/KANSASCITY"I would recognize, I think weall recognize how challengingthis moment is, particularly forparents who are working orhave to worry about anyneeds or obligations."WATSON HOWEVER,CHARACTERIZED THEMAYOR'S RESPONSE TOTHAT ISSUE ASDISAPPOINTING AND NOTSIGNIFICANT."This administration has notfocused on young children andfamilies the way our previousadministration did with MayorJames."HOWEVER, GIVEN WHATSHE KNOWS NOW,WATSON SAYS SENDINGHER CHILDREN BACK TOSCHOOL, EVEN AFTERLABOR DAY WITH MASKSAND SOCIAL DISTANCINGWILL NOT BE ENOUGH.SHE HOPES SCHOOLSWILL USE THE EXTRA TIMETO DO A BETTER JOBPREPARING VIRTUALLEARNING THAN IN THESPRING WHICH SHE SAID,DID NOT WORK WELL FORHER CHILDREN.I'M INVESTIGATOR ANDYALCOCK, 41 ACTION NEWS.