Parents upset over temporary closure of Fairview High School due to COVID-19

FAIRVIEW, Tenn. (WTVF) — Fairview High School has moved to distance learning for two weeks due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases, and some parents aren’t happy about it.

Parent Biff Curtis said 28 people at Fairview High School are positive, 14% of the staff is quarantined, and 33% of students are quarantined due to exposure according to a phone call from the district. “But we’ve arbitrarily been told to close down because of our student levels being below 70% which is a flu metric."

Biff strongly disagrees with the metrics and protocols used to close schools in Williamson County, so he asked his attorney to request an injunction from a judge. "We’re disrupting their lives... we’re creating irreparable damage in these student's mental state."

Since Fairview High School is the only school in the district doing remote learning, he thinks it's unfair, as he believes all students should have equal opportunity to education. Curtis said, "We live in rural Williamson County so our internet is not good." He noted they have internet from the district, but when the data runs out, they can't use it anymore.

Carol Birdsong, the Williamson County Schools spokesperson, issued a statement:

“For the first time, the health department has asked us to close a campus based on the spread of the virus in one of our schools. Getting us back on campus is going to take the entire school community doing what it can to stop the spread of the virus by following those health department restrictions. We are in daily communication with health department, and we are hopeful that conditions improve in the Fairview community so we can get back to on-campus learning and activities as soon as possible.”

Curtis said, "This absolutely puts the children behind in class."

In addition, after school activities are canceled. Some parents are wondering how this will affect high school football playoffs. Many who were concerned showed up for a rally in downtown Franklin on Wednesday afternoon.