DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Teachers in DeKalb County are protested Tuesday morning over the school system's intentions to bring students and staff back to classrooms next month.
The protest was held at 10 a.m. at the DeKalb County School District offices in Stone Mountain, according to the Organization of DeKalb Educators.
"There are many concerned citizens who would appreciate the chance to make our voices heard," a release said.
The protest comes after the plan was announced by the district last week.
According to a release sent out by the district, students in pre-K, 1st, 2nd, 6th and 9th grades will be allowed back on campuses, if they choose in-person learning, starting on Jan. 19. The remaining grade levels will return about a week later, on Jan. 25 under a hybrid model.
Staff will return to school buildings on Jan. 4. Telework "may be provided as an option for employees who qualify for an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act," the release said.
The school district said a risk mitigation strategy would include "consistent and correct use of masks," as well as social distancing "to the largest extent possible." Contact tracing will also be done with the help of the DeKalb Board of Health.
The plan to have some students resume in-person learning comes amid a COVID-19 surge bringing new highs to Georgia, with the seven-day moving average of daily new cases over 4,800 as of Monday- substantially higher than the earlier surge the state saw in the summer.
DeKalb County, according to state figures, has registered about 500 new cases per 100,000 residents over the last two weeks, roughly in the middle of most counties.