Frustrated parents want their kids to return to school.

About 200 parents protested outside the district 5 board meeting at Irmo High this month.

The board voted on a motion to reopen schools 5 days a week by Oct. 8 but it failed on a 4-3 vote 

Most Lexington County schools are open although on a limited basis.

As covid-19 case and death numbers plummet, parents want to know why officials are reluctant to reopen everything.

This is having an effect on kids' and thier parents' mental health, protesters say.

As the pandemic grew worse earlier in the year, levels of stress and depression also rose, researchers found.

According to the journal Science Advances, although SC and other states have begun reopening, many facets of everyday life including work, school and socializing have been drastically disrupted.

Many people told researchers they are experiencing more stress and depression.

The Science Advances study of more than 6,500 people found that several factors may have worsened stress.

Symptoms are associated more with personal exposure than public spread.

This suggests “concerns about contracting the disease outweighed concerns about pandemic-related disruptions in daily life.”