LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Some parents pulled the plug on virtual learning Tuesday, arguing kids in Jefferson County schools (JCPS) should have the option to go back to in-person learning.

What You Need To Know

  • Parents protest NTI

  • It was a 24-hour boycott to protest at-home learning

  • JCPS survey finds 60% of parents wish for in-person learning

  • A date has not been set for students to return to in-person learning

The 24-hour boycott of Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) was about making a statement, to parents in the online group Let Them Learn. On Tuesday night, the District laid-out its plan for schools to be prepared for a partial in-person return by October 29 or whenever it is deemed safe to return. 

Alyson Cleyman is mother to two daughters, a third-grader and sixth-grader at JCPS schools. She's ready for at least a hybrid return, for those wishing to go back. School mostly happens on the couch at her home these days, forcing the single mother to stay home with her kids with special learning needs.

"We're taking back the control at least for one day to make a point that our children should not be in front of screens for that amount of time. It's really bad for their health," she says, explaining her girls typically stare at a screen from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the week. 

"I understand the risks of COVID, and I'm not saying that everybody should think the way we do or do what we do. But I am saying that we should have the choice," Cleyman says. 

The District surveyed parents and found that 60% wish for an in-person return to learning. 

The District says they are aware of some boycotting, but it's up to each teacher on whether to count the absence against the student. A district spokesperson said there's about a 90% participation rate every week, which is higher than the attendance rate pre-pandemic.