BELTON, Texas — As the biggest school districts in Central Texas prepare to head back to the classroom, one parent is terrified for her son, Axton, and said Gov. Greg Abbott is to blame with his executive order to not allow individual counties to issue a mask mandate.
Norman, who spent part of Friday afternoon at Lee Kleypas Park at Morgan's Point, said it weighs in the back of her mind with school just a few days away.
"It seems like a real simple fix, but it's not, it's complicated because the state hasn't done anything," she said, tears rolling down her face.
Axton is 6-years-old and just before Christmas in 2018 they got the terrifying diagnosis that he had Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer.
"His cancer was all over his body to the point that he couldn't even walk and he was in a lot of pain," Kari said. "Every bone is body had lesions on it, he was in a pretty critical state."
She said he has been through countless rounds of therapy and radiation and he's not out of the woods yet. She is worried that all the work his little body has done to fight back against cancer could all be undone because of COVID-19.
"The only saving grace in all of this is that they are willing to go above and beyond for what they have to do," Kari said about Belton ISD. "They will do everything they can to make it work because they want him in school and that's where he also wants to be."
In a statement to 6 News this afternoon, Belton ISD said they sympathize with and feel the same as the Norman's when it comes to taking extra precautions when returning to classes next week.
"We understand and share Ms. Norman’s concerns. The beginning of this school year is bringing anxiety and challenges for students, staff and families. Working within the parameters we have, district and campus staff are putting in place support and accommodations to address individual student needs," said Elizabeth Cox with Belton ISD.
"Last year showed us how powerful the partnership between schools and families can be. Parents are encouraged to reach out to their campus principal to discuss any concerns they may have about their student’s learning environment or their individual health needs," Cox said.
Axton knows how sick he was just two years ago but his focus isn't on getting sick while attending classes, it's just having the chance to go to school, learn and see his friends.
"I don't know," Axton said when asked what he's looking forward to learning as a first grader. "Well, I really want to see a whole bunch of my friends and I don't even know if they are even going to be there."
Kari said she is angry with Abbott and didn't mince words when asked what she would say if she had 10 minutes in the same room as him to air her grievances.
"It would start with a bunch of pictures of us in treatment," she said. "How can you justify not providing school districts with support and not asking and mandating people to wear masks?"
Axton, who just learned to whistle, spent the afternoon talking to his mom about Halloween costumes and who in the family would wear what, all of it he promised, with a Pokémon theme.
Those are the moments Kari lives for, ones that include planning for Axton's future. As her wide-eyed 6-year-old boy gets ready for first grade next week, her hope is that parents hear her plea and help keep her son safe in a school he belongs in just like the rest of them.
"It's all of the hope that we put ourselves into, all of the science we put our hope into to keep our sick kids safe," she said. "I'm begging you as a mom who has already almost lost her son to please send your kid with a mask or encourage them to wear the mask."