Schools and courts shut down until January
The Anderson County School System will go virtual until the beginning of Christmas break — Friday, Dec. 18 — and Anderson County’s courts shut down last Wednesday, Dec. 9, until Jan. 4.
Anderson County Schools relayed its intention to go virtual on Monday, Dec. 14.
Because the system is going virtual until after Christmas break, “All students will receive instructions about assignments from their teachers,” an announcement said. “Students who do not have internet access can go to the Anderson County High School or Clinton High School library during normal school hours 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. All extracurricular activities are canceled until Jan. 5.”
The system took this measure “due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases, household contacts, and quarantines (causing an inability to staff all necessary instructional positions).”
All schools will resume their regular schedules Jan. 5.
In a joint press release from District Attorney General Dave Clark, Chancellor Nicole Cantrell, Juvenile Judge Brian Hunt, Judges Don Elledge, Don Layton, and Roger Miller, Child Support Magistrate Josephine Clark, and Public Defender Ann Coria, it was announced all Anderson County courts would be closed through Jan. 4
“The rate of infection in the community, protecting the capacity of our local health care system, the potential spreading of the virus among the public as the result of appearances and the potential direct health consequences to all concerned that are appearing or working in our courts must be balanced against the need for court hearings,” the release said.
Courts will remain open to “discharge any Constitutionally required function … Hearing and court appearances will be suspended unless urgency and important rights such as personal liberty dictate that an exception be specifically made.”
