High schools across the country are doing their best to deal with the consequences of COVID-19. In August, more than 1,000 students in Georgia were quarantined. Many students in our own school have been quarantined in the past weeks due to coming into contact with the virus. Sports, especially, have taken a big hit. Entire classes have been sent home as well, making it harder and harder for teachers to do their jobs. The thing that has started controversey here at Dyer County Schools is the progression to Phase III.

I recently interviewed Addison Griffin, a senior here at Dyer County High School. She was recently sent home and quarantined after being exposed to COVID-19. Once she was tested, her results came back positive. She said “I feel awful. I get dizzy when I get up to go to the bathroom. I don’t have an appetite to eat. My chest hurts so bad and I barely can breath. I can hear my headaches and I feel weak.” This shows how she felt from having COVID-19 and how bad it affected her. I know many kids that tested positive, but weren’t affected. Addison’s symptoms, however, show how she was affected by the virus mentally and physically.

Also, my sister is quarantined from being exposed to COVID-19 by someone who sat by her in class. She is quarantined for fourteen days. She said, “It’s very confusing because we miss lessons on what we’re learning in class but we’re still assigned the same thing as the people still going to school. So I don’t really know the material like everyone else. Also, if you play a sport, it’s frustrating because I missed 2 games and practice everyday.” Basically, students who are being quarantined aren’t getting the appropriate teaching they still need in order to learn and do their assignments. I don’t think this helps students in any situation, because they are missing lessons and lectures that they have to have in order to learn and do their work.

Many of the students who are being sent home are being sent home because they’re exposed to COVID-19, which doesn’t necessarily mean they have the virus. It just means they came in contact with the person who did have it. I think students who are exposed should be tested because if their test comes back negative, they should be allowed to come back to school.

In conclusion, there will continuously be controversey with the entire COVID-19 situation itself until it’s over. Many parents/guardians are upset because their children are missing out on school events and school itself due to being sent home. The school is only trying to keep our children safe. However, it could’ve been prevented if we stayed in Phase II. In Phase III, wearing masks are optional and all children go to school at full capacity. However, teachers still require us to wear masks and stay six feet apart (but their optional and we aren’t required to). There will continue to be confusion, on top of controversey.