The student who shared pictures of a crowded school hallway in Paulding County has been suspended. Channel 2 Action News first showed you the photo on Tuesday.

We’ve learned that staff told students they could be punished but only after the photo went viral on social media.

Paulding Superintendent Brian Otott says the photo was taken out of context to criticize the school’s re-opening.

The school district says while it is encouraging students to wear masks, it is not requiring students to wear them and says it can’t enforce it if it did.

An announcement was made at North Paulding High School that the school district is enforcing discipline for students who share pictures like the one that’s gone viral.

The student who took the now-viral photo, identified only has Hannah, has been suspended.

Earlier this week, Channel 2 Action News obtained a letter sent to parents from Otott.

"There is no question that the photo does not look good. I can understand if your first reaction was one of concern," Otott said in the letter.

The superintendent said the photo circulating on social media has been taken out of context.

“Some individuals on social media are taking this photo and using it without context to criticize our school reopening efforts,” Otott said. “Under the COVID-19 protocols we have adopted, class changes that look like this may happen, especially at a high school with more than 2,000 students.”

The superintendent said the district has more than 33,000 students who are currently learning in person and virtually and that they anticipated adjustments will be needed.

More info here:

buzzfeednews.com/article/laurenstrapagiel/north-paulding-high-school-suspensions-for-hallway-photos

Audio of students being threatened over the intercom:

All them kids gon be fine lmao

Suspension was beyond unnecessary tho

Good thing they all live alone and don’t interact with anyone older

Good thing I ain’t say anything that was false

Are you “fine” if you lose a parent as a teen?

Why can't they enforce wearing masks?

Facts but I meant fine as in their own physical health

Meanwhile

mississippitoday.org/2020/08/06/mississippi-teachers-death-during-first-week-of-school-stokes-covid-19-outbreak-fears/?fbclid=IwAR1q313YrEbBiMQU5y-UVPNljgDhOqOHROVO4BcSO6R52HImTauLStXVP4Y

kwtx.com/2020/08/05/texas-school-superintendent-diagnosed-with-covid-19-dies

usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/20/coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-death-student-florida-school-custodian-dies-after-battle/5470713002

The main problem is that they'll spread it obv. Even still, there's also taking into account the potential lifelong health implications with those that do catch and survive it (even with the asymptomatic cases)

That nigga tryna backtrack cause he know he said some stupid s***

Bruh

What I say that’s stupid

Added a list of tallies pertaining to mask usage to OP.

At best, 20-25% of students are wearing masks at this school, which should be a surprise to no one.

Dumbass

Have you been in a high school classroom ain’t s*** being enforced

The same way they enforce other basic rules of a school would work with masks.

I'm just wondering why they're acting like it isn't possible lol.

Karen getting the lawyers involved

"Michael Tafelski, senior supervising attorney for the Southern Poverty Law Center’s children’s rights project urged the school district to immediately reverse and remove the suspensions from the students’ records.

“Children do not waive their constitutional rights in school, and the district abused its discretion in suspending these students," Tafelski added in a statement. "It could not have come at a worst time as families are struggling to cope with the social and economic pressures brought on by the pandemic, including the abrupt school closures in March that disrupted the education of thousands of students."

Watters said her family plans to fight the suspension."

Suspending them only brings it more attention though. The original media coverage would’ve blown over as more schools began to open what a smooth brain move

Ironically they're safer getting a suspension

It's where they should be in the first place

Do the right thing and suspend them all

So they CAN'T enforce mask policy but can enforce social media policy gtfoh

f*** adults

Here's audio of kids being threatened over the intercom:

Cause they don’t expose girls shoulders

This is deadass like something outta that movie Matilda mixed with 1984

Putting motherfuckers in the chokey for making the school look bad and warning kids not to step out of line over the intercom