Cobb Reporter

A watchdog group wants to know why the Cobb County School District didn't implement COVID-19 testing even though parents overwhelmingly supported it.

‘’On  August 24, the Cobb County School District sent a survey to parents to gauge interest in providing optional COVID-19 testing in our schools," the group Watching the Funds posted on Facebook. "The results were never shared with parents and testing was never  offered. Four days ago, we submitted an Open Records Request for the information. More than 79% responded 'yes' out of nearly 27K who participated, leaving parents wondering, 'Why did the district ask  parents to urgently respond to this survey and then withhold and ignore  the results?'” 

The online survey was conducted Aug. 24-26, according to Watching the Funds.

“We’re deeply concerned and disappointed that CCSD not only withheld the results, they ignored the will of nearly 27,000 stakeholders," Heather Tolley-Bauer, a member of the watchdog group told the Cobb County Courier. "They could’ve used CARES Act money to provide this important measure, as other districts did, but chose to spend millions elsewhere.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center is suing the Cobb school district for its lack of COVID-19 safety protocols, the story said.

“We are not surprised that the district would choose to ignore and conceal these findings as they continue a dangerous path of putting politics ahead of child safety," the center said in a statement, according to the Courier. "In addition to the claims we raise in our lawsuit, the district continues to outright defy federal requirements regarding facemasks on school buses. A recent Reuters article talks about how the federal government is extending protections on transportation through March.”

The school district did not respond to a request for comment, the Courier said.