Washington-Ozaukee health officials say parents send children to school who tested positive for COVID-19

WASHINGTON-OZAUKEE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Washington-Ozaukee Public Health Department is sending a message to all parents: Don’t send your children to school if they have tested positive for the coronavirus.

CBS 58 asked a mom of two, would she send her kids to school knowing they tested positive for COVID-19? Her response was very straightforward.

“I would not, no, not if they had symptoms or if they were sick, absolutely not," Brigid Ingram said.

However, some parents are and that's the problem.

Kirsten Johnson, with the Washington-Ozaukee Public Health Department, says some parents know their children are sick but send them to school anyway.

She says between both counties, there are multiple school-based COVID-19 cases.

“We have 25 schools that have current investigations so that means that’s a minimum of 25 kids," Johnson said.

They don’t want that number to increase, which is why they are asking parents that if you know your child has the virus or showing symptoms, keep them at home.

“Our goal within our school district is to slow this down and stop it," Johnson said. “We’re seeing wide spread in both Washington and Ozaukee counties, we’re seeing it spread within the schools.”

“It’s largely being driven by families and individuals being irresponsible," she said.

Johnson also mentioned that some parents refuse to get their children tested.

“If you don’t test your child, we don’t know If they have COVID, and subsequently we can’t quarantine kids who are exposed to them so it’s critically important that we’re testing kids.”

As for Ingram, she says just do what’s right so we all can go back to a normal life.

“I hope this comes to an end very soon so we can get everybody back to school very soon."

Johnson says she’s recommending schools to use attendance software to track students with the virus after parents have knowingly sent them to school.