ATLANTA — Parents in Fulton County said they're worried and frustrated after the district's top official called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tainted, writing he would no longer follow all of their guidance.
Some parents who have children too young to be vaccinated are worried about the upcoming school year. One of them wrote to the Fulton County Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney's about the concerns.
Beth Cassidy is a registered nurse whose daughter is heading to Kindergarten in Fulton County this August.
"I wanted to voice my concerns as a healthcare worker and a parent," she said.
She said she wrote to Looney because she is worried the district is not requiring masks for kids or teachers this year - only recommending them.
In her email, she told Looney she's never been more worried for the safety of her child.
He replied in part:
"While I appreciate the CDC’s recommendations, the truth is their credibility has been tainted during this past year and I no longer feel comfortable following all of their guidance, but now factor in our local data and experiences in the decision making process."
In a statement to 11Alive, a district spokesperson said they are following all the latest information on the Delta variant, but will not require masks for the upcoming school year. They said they are relying on their partnership with the Fulton County Board of Health.
11Alive checked with the Fulton County Board of Health, The Georgia Department of Public Health, and CDC to see how numbers compared. Because the county only reports once a week-- on Wednesdays-- the CDC actually has more current data.
All three sources show new cases in Fulton County are up more than 50% in the past week. That data is why Cassidy said she's so worried for her daughter.
"I hope things will calm down, but here, the way things are trending and with the new variant, I am worried that more kids are going to get sick," she said.
The district said they will require masks for students and staff on school busses and they will continue to monitor the latest information about the variants ahead of the school year.
The full email from Dr. Looney is below:
Thank you for emailing. I understand your concern. We are committed to monitoring and evaluating our processes relating to Covid-19 risk management and will continue to stay abreast of our local data and the recommendations from healthcare officials. We have successfully, navigated the largest summer school programing with masks being optional without incident. While I appreciate the CDC’s recommendations, the truth is their credibility has been tainted during this past year and I no longer feel comfortable following all of their guidance, but now factor in our local data and experiences in the decision making process.
Respectfully,
Mike Looney