HUMBLE – Even as COVID-19 cases rise in the region, students at Kingwood Park High School were welcomed back to school with a large pep rally on Tuesday.
“It was really nice to get a break from all the COVID stuff and actually feel like it’s actually school again,” said Stephan Righetti, an 11th grader.
But the photos posted on the school’s Twitter showing a large crowd with few masks didn’t sit well with everyone.
“I would be shocked if my daughter came home and said, ‘Hey, look what we did at school today.’ And showed me a photo like that,” said David Amos, a parent who said he has kids in Humble ISD.
A spokesperson for the Humble Independent School District said students did not have to attend the rally if they did not want to, and about 10 students chose not to participate. The district also said it provided parents with options about returning to class.
“We’ve offered families the choice of whether they want to be on campus or online and the families that have chosen on campus, we’re providing all of the normal school activities that high school students engage in, including pep rallies,” said Jamie Mount, chief communications officer.
The parents of about 45,000 students chose in-person learning, while the parents of about 2,000 students chose virtual learning, Mount said. Tuesday was the first day of school for the district.
KPRC 2 also asked Mount about a photo showing a jam-packed hallway at Atascocita High School.
“Students are finding their ways to classrooms, and so, there are just more students slower in the hall on the first day of school,” Mount said.
Each campus plans its own activities, the school district said.
Andrew Williams, who said Righetti is his stepson, was unaware of the rally until seeing the photos.
“It didn’t bother me too much,” Williams said. “It looked like people that wanted to wear a mask were wearing them and people that weren’t concerned about it didn’t wear them.”