SYLVANIA, Ohio — A group of Sylvania parents is up in arms about their kids starting the school year virtually. They are demanding the school district go to full in-person learning after experiencing what they say is a broken system.
Those Sylvania parents first voiced their frustrations in a Facebook group. Then on Wednesday, they took their demands straight to their children's school building, where they held a gathering asking other parents to join them.
This is after just three days of virtual learning.
Josh Jones, a parent of two Sylvania Highland Elementary students, says this is no way to learn.
"Just the obvious of WiFi connectivity. The portals themselves, the new technology. The inconsistency between what a parent expects and what a teacher is asking for," Jones said.
Jones organized the gathering in an online group with nearly 700 followers where most want their child in school five days a week.
"I understand the school district is doing the best they can but it's not the environment that we signed up for. And we pay a lot of taxes to be in Sylvania to be in a school district and we feel like we're being let down," said Jason Harsh, a father of a Sylvania student.
Sylvania parents held a similar protest last month. That resulted in the district agreeing to move to the green plan on Sept. 14, only to admit a week later that the schools were not prepared with cleaning materials or enough space, and it was back to yellow after this initial two weeks. That's set to last until at least late October.
WTOL 11 reached out to the district several times to ask for a response to the complaints about the virtual learning, but as of Wednesday night, no calls were returned.
"At the very least, I'd like some transparency as to why we're not going back. You know, I think a lot of parents want answers as to why we're remote learning, why is the next plan only hybrid," Jones said.
There was some positive feedback on virtual learning from some parents who say they can deal with it for now.
Jason Harsh says he's willing to work with the district if they provide some hard data on what it will take to get kids back in class.
"I'd like to see what they're really basing their decision on. And I don't feel like they've been upfront and transparent with all that," Harsh said.
Sylvania Schools is scheduled to have its next board of education meeting on Sept. 14.
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