Children and teachers are largely set to resume in-person learning this fall, a mere month from now. With how swiftly this summer’s COVID-19 resurgence descended upon us, it is understandable that many teachers, parents and students share concerns about returning to the classroom. Likewise, concerns from working parents on how remote learning will work for a full school year, both from a childcare and education perspective, are justified and shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand.
It is for that reason our state education and political leaders should act decisively to shutdown in-person learning and announce statewide online school. It’s not an easy decision. This shows seriousness, not just lip service, in bold proclamations of taking our children’s and front-line workers’ health seriously, but it will also allow parents, grandparents and family the opportunity to begin planning for the school year ahead.
A few weeks does not feel adequate enough to put these plans together. But it is better than waiting for the inevitable outbreak and rising cases to occur within our schools, this time affecting our children and our teachers. They'll be forced to shut down again, and parents will be left scrambling with no advance notice.
Zachary Gorringe, South Jordan