Metro Atlanta school systems start new year with remote learning

ATLANTA — Some Georgia school districts have decided to go fully remote to start the new year as COVID-19 cases rise, despite mounting evidence that pandemic shutdowns have taken a mental, emotional and academic toll on children.

At least five school districts, mainly in the Atlanta metro area, will resume classes this week online instead of in person.

Administrators for Atlanta, Clayton County, DeKalb County, Fulton County and Rockdale County public schools have announced plans to keep brick-and-mortar schools closed until next week.

“Due to the rapid rise in positive cases in the metro Atlanta area, students will begin virtual classes Tuesday through Friday,” Atlanta Public Schools said in a statement. ‘Our current plan is to resume in-person instruction on Monday, Jan. 10.”

Research shows isolating children from their peers and fears associated with the pandemic have increased mental illnesses among children. A recent study by Brown University also found COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions could likely create a generation of children with lower IQs and signs of social brain damage.

According to the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia students scored lower in annual standardized tests compared with the previous testing year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Numbers released in August by the department showed elementary school students and middle schoolers fared better than high schoolers on the Georgia Milestones Assessment System tests during the 2020-2021 school year. Georgia School Superintendent Richard Woods said the results showed the importance of offering in-person instruction.

Georgia school districts started this school year in August with full in-person learning. Some schools, however, reverted to remote classes at times because of COVID-19 outbreaks. The state has seen the COVID-19 positivity rate skyrocket because of the omicron variant. The first case of omicron was discovered in Atlanta in early December. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, 38.6% of the COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction tests reported to the agency on Monday were positive.

The Georgia Association of Educators did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.