FORT WORTH, Texas — Being essential is an unnerving balancing act, as Fort Worth's Aubrey Mullen describes it. She's a nurse at a pediatric primary care center, and she's often on the other end of the phone with parents worried their kids may be fighting COVID-19.
"It's a sacrifice that we as nurses have always known we were capable of giving, but at the same time it's really scary to actually have to offer yourself in this type of capacity," she said of the last six months of work in this pandemic.
Mullen is her family's breadwinner, helping provide for her son Britton who will start first grade this fall. For that reason, her decision about how he'd go back to class was made for her.
"Absolutely, day one he's got to go to school," she said. "We have no other option."
That changed for her and many others Tuesday when Tarrant County health officials signed an order, saying its schools would be online-only through at least September 28th. Some of its districts are going even further, with Crowley ISD tweeting it won't have in-person class until October 5th.
We heard more reactions to the order at Fort Worth ISD's board meeting Tuesday. Most appreciated the delay, with several employees, teachers and parents concerned that online learning may need to happen beyond late September.
Other parents asked what this means for their special needs students. Fort Worth ISD superintendent Kent Scribner says exceptions in Tarrant County's order gives flexibility in bringing special needs students back. Still, families like the Mullens are negotiating between their children and their paychecks.
"We are considering...do we want to hire a high schooler to be in charge of not only his daily care but part of his education?" said Mullen about keeping her son under a watchful eye while still learning.
She hopes her son's district and her workplace are flexible for essential families left with impossible choices.
"Just listening to the people who are really working in the trenches like this I think would be beneficial," said Mullen.
More on WFAA:
- Fort Worth moms adjust to school changes
- Parents say student athletes feel pressured to play ball, as high school sports get ready to resume amid pandemic
- Fort Worth ISD releases additional details for re-opening plan | Full list of districts
- 'We are terribly afraid': Schools in Tarrant County required to be online-only until Sept. 28