Parents turn to homeschooling

Jul. 20--Schools were closed in March of this year as a response to the national coronavirus outbreak, but are set to resume next month with a mix of blended and remote instruction. But even as some parents await more information about a return to the classroom, others have already decided their children will be staying home this school year.

After watching a family member contract and struggle to recover from the coronavirus, Florence Sharpe had a sit down with all six of her children to discuss the 2020-21 school year and whether or not they should return to class if the option was available.

In the end, the group decided they felt safer learning from home.

"It's just not something that we want to risk. We have a little boy with asthma and with it being a breathing disease, we don't want to risk his health. I don't want to see my child on a respirator," said Sharpe. "We just don't see how they are going to be able to keep all the kids separated from one another. I just don't think they have the room to do that safely."

It's a decision the family knows will come with some sacrifice. Sharpe's oldest daughter was previously set to begin her senior year at Cleveland Early College High School. Staying on a remote learning plan could cost her many of the typical senior year festivities, but the sacrifice is worth securing her family's health.

"She's more upset more at COVID than our decision," Sharpe said. "She doesn't want to risk her own health, and she doesn't want to become a guinea pig."

Trying to educate six children in various grade levels from home seems like a challenge on paper, but it's one the Sharpe family has already adjusted to.

When schools let out in March, they switched to a remote learning model that saw a mixture of Zoom, Google Classroom and other digital classroom tools as substitutes to in-person instruction.

"It's a dedication on the parents. You aren't just able to turn your kids loose. It takes some parent involvement, but it is very doable," she said.

As part of the state's school reopening plan, Cleveland County Schools will offer an online-only program for families who prefer to keep their children at home this year.

Sharpe said she plans to work with the county to enroll her students in the online program, but she was prepared to move to a private home schooling service if the option weren't available.

While Sharpe is keeping her children at home this year as a safety measure from the coronavirus, Angel Southards said she is keeping her son home to protect him from a different kind of danger.

"Last year when my son was in school, there was a lot of bullying and that is one of my biggest concerns," she said. "I'm afraid it's going to get worse, and I also worry about resource officers not always being at the schools."

Southards said her son has been the victim of bullies at school before, and he has told her multiple stories of his classmates going to bathrooms and getting in fights.

"Who is to say he won't go inside the bathroom and get jumped by a bunch of kids because they know there won't be anyone there to stop it," said Southards.

The issue has had Southards considering home schooling her son for a few years now, but it was this spring which made her realize it was a real possibility in her situation.

"When they were doing the virtual learning, I was able to sit down with him and what I didn't know (my husband) was able to help him and guide him through it, and he was able to learn a lot through that," she said. "I kind of liked it, my son being at home where I could watch him and him being okay. It seemed to work out really good."

Dustin George can be reached at 704-669-3337 or Dustin.George@ShelbyStar.com. Find him on Twitter @DustinatTheStar.

___

(c)2020 The Star (Shelby, N.C.)

Visit The Star (Shelby, N.C.) at www.shelbystar.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.