Teachers gathered at the Capitol Friday to protest the reopening of schools in Mississippi due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in the state.

The protest was organized by Mississippi Teachers Unite. The group is demanding that the reopening of schools should be postponed until Sept. 1 for the safety for teachers and students. The group also wants schools to meet the current guidelines provided by the CDC before the start of in-person classes. Lastly, the group demands that schools to be fully funded so districts and teachers do not have to use their own funds for personal protective equipment.

Here are images from the protest:

Protesters gather outside of the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. to protest against the reopening of Mississippi schools.
Protesters gather outside of the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. to protest against the reopening of Mississippi schools.
Educators and other protesters provide a visual to show what a socially distanced classroom looks like as they protest against the reopening of schools in Mississippi.
Esther Newell, a Jackson Public School teacher, protests the reopening of Mississippi schools outside of the Capitol in Jackson, Friday, July 17, 2020.
Protesters hold signs as they gather around the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., Friday, July 17, 2020. Protesters gathered to rally against the reopening of Mississippi schools.
Nellie Massey, a first year Jackson Public School District teacher, holds a sign outside of the Capitol in Jackson during a protest against reopening Mississippi Schools Friday, July 17, 2020.
Protesters applaud as educators speak during a rally against the reopening of Mississippi schools Friday, July 17, 2020.
Don Turner speaks to an audience of protesters at the Capitol in Jackson during a rally against the reopening of Mississippi schools Friday, July 17, 2020.
Dee Szot, 9, participates in a protests against the reopening of Mississippi schools.
Jeremiah Smith, of the Rosedale Freedom Project, leads a chant at the Capitol in Jackson during a protest against the reopening of Mississippi Schools Friday, July 17, 2020.

Eric J. Shelton was a 2018 corps member in Report for America, and joined the team as our first photojournalist. A native of Columbia, Miss., Eric earned his bachelor’s in photojournalism from the University of Southern Mississippi. He was a multimedia journalist for Abilene Reporter-News, chief photographer for the Hattiesburg American and photo editor for the Killeen Daily Herald before joining our team June 2018. He rejoined Mississippi Today as our health photojournalist in January 2022.