Arizona governor threatens to withhold funding, Florida state education officials vow to investigate and one Texas district adds masks to its dress code to sidestep a ban.
Georgia superintendent pleads with parents: "How we control the spread INSIDE the district, depends on how well parents, students, and community members control the spread OUTSIDE the district."
With the new school year barely underway, COVID outbreaks, mask disputes and growing levels of uncertainty dominated the education news in many communities.
Hopes for a return to normal in-person instruction are being dashed throughout the south as the delta variant forces dozens of districts to shift back online or close altogether.
Trying to reopen amidst the delta surge, Chicago Public Schools is the latest major system to require employees to get vaccinated or face weekly COVID testing.
In Oklahoma City Schools, COVID cases exploded after just three days of school. Elsewhere, teachers faced a high-stakes vaccine mandate and schools shut down.
Continued use of masks and social distancing will pose unique communication challenges for children who are hard of hearing as they return to school over the next several weeks.
California on Wednesday became the first state to require all teachers and school staff to get vaccinated by Oct. 15 or submit to weekly COVID testing.
Many unvaccinated teens are hesitant about inoculations while some parents of younger children will wait even after FDA approves the shot for all Americans.
