US school records 9 new COVID cases after viral photo of packed hallway

A teen was suspended for taking a photo of their packed school as classes resumed in the US. Now the school has seen a spike in infections.

A US high school student who was suspended for posting images of crowded school hallways on social media has had her suspension overturned as the school records nine cases of COVID-19.

It comes as figures from the American Academy of Pediatrics show 97,000 children tested positive to coronavirus in the past two weeks of July as schools around the country hardest hit by the pandemic send students back into classrooms.

The US has recorded more than five million coronavirus cases, with 338,000 of them children.

More than 162,000 people have died, with 25 children dying last month.

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Day two at North Paulding High School. It is just as bad. We were stopped because it was jammed. We are close enough to the point where I got pushed multiple go to second block. This is not ok. Not to mention the 10% mask rate. pic.twitter.com/JKbGYqG9RS

— hannah (@ihateiceman) August 4, 2020

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Hannah Watters, 15, shared a photo from North Paulding High School in Dallas, Georgia as she and other students returned to class from Monday last week.

She also kept a running tally of how many students at the school were wearing masks, finding the majority of students in her classes were not.

pic.twitter.com/UvJoLjpq5N

— hannah (@ihateiceman) August 5, 2020

“I’d like to say this is some good and necessary trouble,” Ms Watters later told CNN .

“My biggest concern is not only about me being safe, it’s about everyone being safe because behind every teacher, student and staff member there is a family, there are friends, and I would just want to keep everyone safe.”

Another student was also suspended for posting photos on an anonymous account.

The school said the suspensions were for violating school policies about social media use, but following an outcry from critics accusing the school of silencing the students, the suspensions were lifted on Friday.

This morning my school called and they have deleted my suspension. To everyone supporting me, I can’t thank you enough. If I’m not responding it’s because my life has been somewhat crazy the past few days. Once again thank you. ❤️

— hannah (@ihateiceman) August 7, 2020

“We are all waiting to see who gets sick next week,” a North Paulding teacher told BuzzFeed News as the image started to go viral and staff and students at the school did too.

“At this time, we know there were six students and three staff members who were in school for at least some time last week who have since reported to us that they have tested positive,” a letter sent to parents from North Paulding High School Principal Gabe Carmona said on Saturday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

One parent who spoke to AJC said two of her children tested positive, with one coming home with symptoms on the first day classes resumed.

This week the school is starting classes online.

Classrooms were also empty on Thursday and Friday last week, which was planned ahead of time to give administrators a chance to assess safety protocols.

The school district will decide whether to resume in-person classes on Tuesday.