Parents react to Fayette County Public Schools’ plans

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — Parents are reacting to Monday night’s Fayette County school board decision to ease into in-person instruction with a face-to-face learning program for students who are struggling.

‘Targeted Services’ would start October 19th.

We spoke to parents who say they’re feeling everything from helplessness to confusion and frustration.

“We want a choice,” says FCPS parent Tim McDaniel.

Parents want the school district to give them a choice to remain virtual or return to in-person.

Some feel school leaders aren’t paving a path forward.

“We can’t wait until it’s a hundred percent safe,” says McDaniel. “I would like it to be that way, I think all of us would, but that may not ever happen.”

Others thanking the district for postponing the hybrid model, a mixture of in person and online learning, saying “thank you for thinking of the health of the children”.

McDaniel doesn’t understand how sports are back but there’s no in-person option for kids at this point.

“My daughters are playing soccer every Saturday. We have people going to restaurants, bars, every business has figured out how to reopen except for Fayette County Public Schools,” says McDaniel.

The ‘targeted services’ model would allow Jillian Kyde’s son, who needs extra help with speech, to go back into the school sooner than her other son.

“How do I explain to a first and third grader on October 19th that one of them might be able to go back to school and one may not?” asks Kyde.

Kyde says she’s also advocating for those kids without a voice, with needs a lot greater than her sons.

Parent Mike Williamson, an opponent of staying virtual, made note of the technical issues the board meeting had Monday night.

“And they expect my six year old and five year old who have no reading comprehension skills to have the responsibility to operate that technology,” says Williamson.

He doesn’t think basing big decisions on the incidence rate map being red, orange or yellow is ideal.

“If long term we’re in this hybrid model and we get a red day, a yellow day, a red day, a green day, what’s protocol? Are you shutting down only red days?” asks Williamson.

The board will vote on a targeted services plan before October 12th and some kids could be in classrooms by October 19th.

The board agreed to revisit a hybrid model for a possible start date of November 2nd.