Floyd County switches course, will resume in-person classes at all but 3 schools

FLOYD COUNTY, Ga. - Less than 24 hours after announcing that the school system would transition to all digital learning for at least two weeks, Floyd County Schools has reversed course.

Interim Superintendent Glenn White had announced Thursday that all students would learn remotely Aug. 24 through Sept. 8, but in a Friday morning school board work session, district leaders said in-person classes would resume Monday at all but three of the district’s 17 schools.

Thursday, the county schools had at least 350 students and employees in quarantine. The system has six students and three staff members who have actually tested positive for the coronavirus.

White and school board members voiced support for designating teachers as critical infrastructure workers, allowing those who have been exposed to COVID-19 but show no symptoms to return to work. Floyd County had taken that move, but the district reversed itself on Wednesday after a lawyer for Gov. Brian Kemp said the district had no authority to do so.

Kemp is considering whether to follow U.S. Department of Homeland Security advice to give teachers the designation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.