Images Of Student Crowds Raise Questions In Georgia Schools

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Students arrive to Dallas Elementary School for the first day of school amid the coronavirus outbreak on Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, in Dallas, Ga

Credit: AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

Two suburban Atlanta school districts that began in-person instruction Monday with mask-optional polices face more questions about COVID-19 safety protocols after pictures taken on campus show students packed shoulder-to-shoulder.

In Cherokee County, dozens of seniors gathered at two high schools to take traditional first-day-of-school senior photos. In Paulding County, student pictures show crowded hallways at North Paulding High School in Dallas. Fewer than half of the students shown are wearing masks.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s largest school district, Gwinnett County, on Tuesday said it will try to make a phased return to face-to-face instruction after an all-remote start to classes. All students who want to take in-person classes could be welcome on campus by Sept. 8

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