Return to Schools Decision Is Heartbreaking

Watching and listening to all of the discussions taking place about children returning to school in the middle of a health pandemic is truly heartbreaking. Parents, kids, teachers, administrators and communities are all struggling with the decisions they have to make. Sadly there is no national leadership or direction to this critically important issue other than Donald Trump saying "schools have to open". Of course everyone is in agreement on schools needing to reopen but the critical issues are when and how to do it safely for all of us. I really fear that we are heading for chaos and danger for everyone if things continue to go as they seem to be going right now - every district trying to plan on their own, with little assistance from the state and federal governments.

There really doesn't seem to be recognition that without the correct planning and protocols in place, community spread will be the result of these reopenings. Why is it that we all seem to be in the mindset that school has to take place from September through June. It's a nonsensical, made up calendar that can and should be changed based on the threats that school districts and children face. People have talked about lengthened or shortened academic years forever. Lots of things should be possible relative to annual calendars but there is nothing that says schools have to open in September. 

The worst thing is that everything we are all facing was predictable - the confusion, the anger, the threat itself, the economics, the spread. Yes, everything we're facing was predictable over the past 3 or 4 months. All of that time could have been spent on a national response or it could have been spent on a true shutdown to get the Covid 19 virus under control. But instead, we've argued among ourselves about mask wearing, parties, bars reopening, if children are immune, etc., etc. Yes, we've wasted time, critical time and now a false calendar deadline puts pressure on all of us. 

The answer still exists - take the necessary time to get this virus under control as other countries have done. Yes, it's going to take us longer now but that's because we didn't do it right the first time. We all just have to bite the bullet and realize that a national shutdown based on positivity data is a necessary response at this point and that will take national leadership. If the President won't do this on his own, then elected officials in a nonpartisan way along with public health officials throughout the country have to stand up to him and make it happen.

Look no further than your children and grandchildren to see that it has to be done. Yes it's heartbreaking. Every decision being made or worse, not made, is heartbreaking. But all of us could certainly stand down for two or three weeks, stay home and wear masks.