RALEIGH, N.C. — Packing up her kids' bags for school and including face masks is a routine Christen Ward is used to, although it's not by choice.
"I mean, we're just doing it because we have to at this point. We're kind of ready for this phase of things in the education system to simmer down," Ward said.
What You Need To Know
It's the end of winter break and children are returning to school
With COVID-19 cases soaring, school districts nationwide trying to control the highly contagious omicron variant
Some schools are switching to remote learning, bringing back mask mandates and ramping up testing
With Monday's icy conditions, Ward kept her three kids home from school. Truth be told, she wasn't too thrilled about them going back anyway.
"COVID-19 testing and the vaccinations looming in the background," she said. "We're just not going to live in fear and we're not teaching our kids to live in fear."
With COVID-19 cases soaring, Ward isn't concerned her kids will get sick. She worries what the school district will do next.
"They're supposed to be educators, they're supposed to be focused on education. They're not doctors, they're not in the medical field," she said.
Frequent COVID-19 testing, Ward says, crosses that line.
"I definitely think that's something the parents would need to consent to. I would need to be notified in advance. I don't want my kids to just be approached at school saying OK, you got to go take a COVID test," Ward said.
Ward also fears testing is another step closer to a vaccine mandate. If things don't improve, she is looking at alternative schooling options.
"I know a lot of parents who have been pulling their kids out, doing homeschooling," Ward said.
It's a tough decision, but an important one for Ward's family as she says things continue to go in the wrong direction.
"I just really hope that our board can start focusing on what's best for their students and their education," she said.
Ward and other families against COVID-19 mandates say school boards should focus on academic learning loss and mental health as their top priorities.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending everyone 5 years of age and older get a COVID-19 vaccine to help protect against the virus.