Our virtually schooled children are restless, exceedingly confused and frustrated, left behind and have lost interest in their education. One week students are solely virtual learning and many are left behind without the private and personal help of a teacher without being exposed. The next week another change occurs and students are sent back to classrooms for a few days just to revert back to vitrual learning again. The undecidedness of this tug of war is dragging everyone down, destroying moral, and stealing the joy and accomplishment of otherwise intelligent children. The other side is students who are breezing by and find it too easy to maintain nterest. This system isn't working. Our chikdren are failing, and forced to put themselves, fellow classmates, personnel and guardians at risk every other week as Covid-19 numbers dip and dive.

Parents and guardians are equally distraught with virtual lessons and homeschooling.. Some find it nearly impossible to make a living and teach from home simultaneously. Some cannot afford the internet access required. Some are having technical issues with the Chromebook that take hours to solve, leaving the student further behind. Many students are lost in the curriculum and require specific help to which the only available solution is on site tutoring. This can leave some high risk parents and guardians worried and forced to chose between everyones health and the child's education. 

I purpose a new solution not yet available to our youth. During a conversation with a sophmore student,, she asked for the ability to test out early. She had done her research and found that a GED is seemingly the only way to do so. Except that was only for those aged nineteen and older at Henderson Community College. We struggled to find any middle ground that would allow high school aged students to test out of their class or complete as a senior by way of Diploma or General Equivalency testing. Not even with parental consent.  There must be an option to allow our students to work towards their goals, not only the mandates set and ever changing by the state. I ask that we petition the school board for our young adults to begin exercising their rights in control of their physical health, mental wellbeing, direction of furthering their education safely in preparation for the current pandemic world they're entering. A child as young fifeteen may be emancipated in the state of Kentucky. A youth of sixteen may obtain a driver's permit. If a student is ready, I applaud the effort to achieve their educational goals safely while allowing other students more time with tutors who require their assistance. Whether it be by testing per class year and/or a general blanketed high school test, these are options that require a second look as the course of our lives has been dramatically changed due to the pandemic.