The Union County school board voted to change its decision that did away with quarantines for students and staff after a threat of "legal action" by state public health officials.

In an 8-1 vote Monday, school board members decided to "recognize quarantines" for students and teachers who come in close contact with people who test positive for COVID-19.

Union County Public Schools has not yet released details on the new policy, which was discussed in closed session Monday morning. The school board also indicated that students and staff who came into close contact with someone with the coronavirus will have a shorter quarantine time than the 14 days recommended by state public health officials.

A week ago, the Union County Board of Education voted to ignore state rules and bring back any students and staff who did not have coronavirus symptoms, even if they had been in close contact with someone who had the virus. The state Department of Health and Human Services sent a letter to the Union County school board last week threatening legal action over that decision.

“According to state law, our local health department has taken over primary responsibility of contact tracing and has reduced the length of quarantine period for asymptomatic individuals,” school board vice chair Kathy Heintel said.

Union County is one of the few school districts in North Carolina that does not require face masks on campus. As of last week, school officials said they had more than 7,000 students, staff and teachers out of school on quarantine.

The Union County school board met in closed session starting at 7 a.m. Monday, and then had an open session meeting to vote on the new rules. The open meeting was over Zoom and lasted little more than 3 minutes.

Heintel said the school system will report positive coronavirus cases to the local health department.

With Monday’s vote, anyone with symptoms or a positive test will have to stay home. The school system will also “recognize quarantines for close contacts,” she said.

DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen sent a letter to the Union County Board of Education last week, saying the district could face "legal action" if the board did not change the quarantine policy, giving a deadline of 5 p.m. Friday. 

In a statement Monday, DHHS said it is satisfied with the morning's vote from the Union County school board.

"The Board has confirmed in writing that that Union County Public Schools will resume working with the Union County Health Department in contract tracing by producing records and information that can help identify close contacts and excluding students and staff infected with COVID-19 or exposed to COVID-19 who must isolate or quarantine from school," DHHS said.

DHHS and the local health department will continue to work with the school system to clarify the plan, DHHS said.

"These actions are critical to protect student, staff and community health," DHHS said Monday.  

"On Sept. 13, 2021, the Union County Board of Education passed a motion to immediately halt all activity of contact tracing and quarantine by Union County School staff and nurses and called for the immediate return of all students who were excluded from school because of COVID-19 exposure," DHHS said in a statement.

"However, all schools must comply with control measures prescribed by North Carolina law, including the exclusion of students, teachers and staff subject to isolation or quarantine requirements. Failure to adhere to such control measures poses an immediate and substantial threat to the health and safety of students and staff, their families and the community and may result in legal action," DHHS said.

Rev. Jimmy Bention was the only board member to vote against the change today.

“Because this motion will cause healthy kids to be sent home, I vote nay,” he said.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to clarify the Union County school board's action Monday morning. The board did not completely reverse its previous vote that did away with quarantines and contact tracing.