At 11:34 p.m. on March 12, Fairfax County Public Schools announced that their decision to keep schools open would be reversed. 

Students are to have the day off from school on March 13 while school offices and central offices will open on time for teachers and staff, though with an unscheduled leave policy in effect for 12-month employees.

“I’m relieved that schools are closed because my chances of getting the virus are lower and I don’t have to wake up early anymore,” senior Ariel Patino said. 

All extracurricular activities on the 13th have been cancelled as well.

“But, I’m also kind of sad that I’m going to be missing most of my senior soccer season,” Patino said. 

This news comes hours after the announcement that all sports activities will be postponed until April 12. 

In addition, earlier today FCPS Superintendent Scott Brabrand announced that schools are most likely to stay open if no confirmed cases are found within the county.

This caused unrest among the student body, as many found it unfair that sports be cancelled but not school.

Among those in disagreement was former at-large member of the Fairfax County School Board Ryan McElveen. 

McElveen fired off tweets criticizing the School Board’s lack of proper action to keep students safe and protected from the threat of COVID-19. 

“The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and School Board are putting our community in grave danger by continuing to claim that our population is at low-risk for coronavirus,” McElveen said. 

McElveen also criticized the lack of proper planning by the School Board, “For county leaders to hold a press conference, not tell the full truth, & not announce a school closure timeline is absurd,” McElveen said. 

The FCPS School Board reevaluated their decision and decided to favor the safer alternative to protecting and preventing students from being affected by the virus. 

What is still to come, whether school resumes next week or not, is still uncertain however.