KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Annie Watson is the mother of four children.
The siblings — Haddie, 10; Henry, 6; Hazel, 4; and 11-month old Harvey — attend three different schools between them. The two youngest children attend a child development center.
New advice from Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas and KCMO Health Department Director Dr. Rex Archer to delay the opening of schools until after Labor Day would have a direct impact on the Watson family.
"I think anybody following the sort of tumultuous, ever-changing news around COVID and education and keeping children and teachers safe I don't think is ever surprised when we hear more strict or strong guidance,” Watson said.
The local announcement comes after Watson was sent information from her children’s schools about their approaches to in-person learning, virtual learning or a combination of both.
"I think it was unfortunate that timing of this local guidance was not timed in accordance with some of the information that we heard. There's clearly a lack of coordinating messages and guidance," Watson said.
Watson said her husband works out of the house four days a week.
Even though she also has a job and said she’s the breadwinner of the family, Watosn has been handling the bulk, but not all, of the family's childcare responsibilities since the pandemic began.
"My oldest, who is 10, is going to have to continue to provide a level of child care," she said.
While the situation provides a challenge for the family, Watson also said she and her husband are in a better position to handle it than other families.
Watson said there may be parents who must choose between a job and additional child care.
"We already have a very complicated and challenging education system in Kansas City. We really can't be adding any additional barriers to that," she said.
Lucas on Tuesday said that he recognized how a possible decision to delay the reopening of schools could impact families.
"I would recognize, I think we all recognize how challenging this moment is, particularly for parents who are working or have to worry about any needs or obligations," Lucas said.
During his announcement, the mayor said day care, with some number of restrictions, will continue.
He also said younger elementary school students will likely have a chance to go to school because they need that level of instruction and care and are less likely to get and transmit COVID-19.
Watson, however, characterized the mayor’s response to that issue as disappointing and insignificant.
"This administration has not focused on young children and families the way our previous administration did with Mayor (Sly) James," she said.
However, given what she knows now, Watson said sending her children back to school, even after Labor Day, with masks and social distancing will not be enough.
She hopes schools will use the extra time to do a better job preparing virtual learning than in the spring, which she said did not work well for her children.
