Maryland parents frustrated after schools suddenly revert to virtual learning

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. (WJLA) — Nikki Weiss’ son is a first grader at Yorktown Elementary in Bowie in Prince George's County, Maryland. He is home now trying to do virtual learning.

Sharing several pictures sharing how it's going so far, she says, "not great."

And as she struggles to work and find ways for him to be online she expects it will get worse.

“He’s not only going to be in virtual in first grade when he can’t read and can't type, he’s going to miss even more instruction because there’s going to be some days he can’t get on,” she said.

Weiss speaks for a number of parents who’ve reached out to WJLA to express frustration with the sudden decision at the end of last week to move to virtual schooling until Jan. 18.

“I mean just the timeframe,” she says. ”How can you expect parents, or students for that matter, to get any kind of information on a Friday night at 5 pm that starting Monday you have to find care for your kids or not go to work or whatever to go virtual for what?”

When presented with parental concerns during a COVID update, school CEO Monica Goldson and County Executive Angela Alsobrooks say the numbers — nearly 1,000 students testing positive and 16,000 quarantined — made the move necessary.

“I agree completely with Dr. Goldson,” Alsobrooks said of the decision to close.

Goldson says, “If we could have waited to allow time for parents to make those changes and work around daycare we would have, but in consultation with the health department we felt it was important to begin to make sure that our students were safe in their home.”

Goldson also insists the closure is temporary and that students will be back in school Jan. 18.