Over 120 Cobb Schools Teachers Called Out Sick Due To COVID-19

COBB COUNTY, GA — More than 120 Cobb County School District educators called out sick Monday — the first day in-person learning resumed after a weeklong switch to virtual learning last week due to rising COVID-19 cases in the county — the latest in a back-and-forth debate in the district over resuming in-person learning as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

Teachers at several schools, including Clay Harmony Leland Elementary School and Osborne, Pebblebrook and South Cobb high schools, called out sick due to testing positive for COVID-19 or quarantining because they were exposed to the coronavirus, Cobb School Board Member Leroy "Tre" Hutchins told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Hutchins took office earlier this month.

District spokesperson Nan Kiel told the AJC that the system had not noticed "any significant difference in teachers reporting to be 'sick,'" and any educator absent due to an illness would have to provide a doctor's note.

Three CCSD teachers have died from COVID-19 or COVID-19 complications: Patrick Key of Hendricks Elementary School, who died on Christmas Day, and Dana Johnson of Kemp Elementary School and Cynthia Lindsey of Sedalia Park Elementary School, who both died last Thursday.

These deaths sparked a protest outside the CCSD board meeting last Thursday, calling for schools not to reopen for any in-person instruction Monday. Hutchins said 129 total educators called in sick Monday, but the school district would not confirm this number when asked, according to 11Alive.

Hutchins is also one of three Cobb school board members who signed a letter to Gov. Brian Kemp on Sunday — written by Cobb School Board Member Jaha Howard — along with 10 other school board members across metro Atlanta. The letter asked the governor to move educators up in line to get vaccinated as more vaccines become available.