Coronavirus and its Effect on the Next School Year
By: Jieun Woo
A topic on many kids’ minds today is school. When coronavirus first hit the U.S, students left for spring break and never physically returned to classes. Instead, many school districts turned to online assignments and video calls. Now that it gets closer and closer to the start of the next school year, the debates for how the next school year will look grow louder and school districts have to decide how learning will continue.
One tempting method to many Americans is reopening schools, especially as many people feel trapped at home. And when looking at how some other countries have successfully reopened, it seems particularly alluring. However, what many people do not realize is that those countries that have successfully reopened only did so because of their slow and gradual procedures, making sure coronavirus levels had dropped to a low level before setting restrictions to minimize risk. This means the situation in which those countries reopened is very different to the situation in the U.S. where coronavirus levels continue to rise every day. And while many countries have reopened with safety restrictions, there have still been cases of outbreaks in schools. One example of a disastrous reopening result is some schools in Israel.
Just like other countries, Israel reopened schools after making sure coronavirus levels were low and then removed restrictions, but were met with a whole different outcome. Soon, there were outbreaks at every grade level forcing schools to close again as 2,026 students and staff contracted COVID-19 with 28,147 in quarantine. This brings up the fact that even if precautions are taken, reopening schools comes with a high risk of coronavirus spreading.
The second option to school is virtual learning, an option many students have already experienced in the spring. This carries the lowest risk of spreading COVID-19, but has been very uncomfortable to many people. For example, due to the variety of different websites that teachers prefer, it is hard for students to keep track of assignments. It is also very difficult to create interactions with other people, a key skill that kids would normally shape in physical school. Finally, since there has not been a situation like this before, teachers and students have to experience a whole new system of having classes and tests. In conclusion, although online learning is the safest method for school, it is not a popular one.
Currently, schools all over the U.S. are making their decisions for the next school year as coronavirus presents a safety risk. The two main choices have been between in-person learning and virtual learning. While in-person learning is much more easier and comfortable, it also carries a higher risk of spreading coronavirus. On the other hand, virtual learning has the lowest risk, but does not have the same result as physical learning. There are pros and cons for both sides, so if your school has given families the choice to choose between these options, hopefully this has helped to provide insight on both sides. The decision is up to you.