MACON, Ga. — Working mom Yuleshia Farrar says next week's switch to virtual learning creates a tough choice.
"I can't do both of them. If I'm at work, I can't focus on my job, and I'm trying to make sure that my kids are doing their schoolwork, so their education is very vital to me," she said.
She has two kids and works almost 70 hours a week. Her husband works just as much.
"My husband, a lot of time, doesn't get home until 8, 9 p.m. My hours can vary. I go to work sometimes at 3 o'clock in the morning and get off at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. I'm working 12 hours," she explained.
Latrina Pennamon-Nash, Principal at Ballard Hudson Middle school, says last year, the community embraced virtual learning, making room for more resources.
"A lot of churches and organizations opened their doors, the Boys & Girls Club opened their doors earlier for parents to be able to drop their students off and for those employees to be able to help with virtual learning," Pennamon-Nash said.
Now, parents are largely on their own. Farrar says she's doing all she can to prepare for the change, but says she hopes people will do what they can to slow the spread.
"Your family is everything. Don't wait until someone gets sick to then want to do something about it," she said.
Bibb county superintendent Curtis Jones says the switch begins Tuesday, September 7. They hope to return to in-person on the 20th, but that partly depends on the rate of community spread.