Student Health vs. Coronavirus
by Serene Hwang
Mid-March, every U.S. school district was ordered to close its doors amid the global pandemonium caused by the outbreak of Covid-19. This included my own small all-female charter school located in Los Angeles where the sudden news shook the staff and students to the core. In class learning and student activities were forcefully shifted into lagging Zoom meetings and awkward emails. Adapting to unprecedented times, students found themselves isolated at home with a flimsy school Chromebook and some mediocre wi-fi. Despite the drawbacks of virtual learning however, I strongly attest that the closing of educational facilities has and will continue to benefit our country throughout this infectious crisis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when schools were being shut down, the number of new Coronavirus cases reported by our country averaged to 511 per day. On the other hand, the U.S. is currently peaking at about 60,000 new cases everyday (excluding those affected who could not get tested). SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for this pandemic, spreads through both direct and indirect contact, making it able to be spread at alarming rates among unsuspecting communities. Especially in enclosed spaces, such as school classrooms, the airborne virus can be transmitted from one person to a multitude of others in an instant. When infected, one may suffer from fevers, breathing complications, and body aches within two weeks post-transmission. Coronavirus has already claimed over 130,000 lives in the United States, and this number will only grow exponentially unless we start taking stronger precautions.
Because of this highly transmissive disease, schools and businesses have been closed down for months in order to limit human interaction. In addition, people are now required to wear face coverings and keep six feet apart from others. Growing by thousands per day, the curve shows no signs of flattening even with such regulations set in place. Hospitals are becoming overcrowded and ventilators are in short supply; it is obvious that America cannot afford any more Covid-19 cases. Despite the disturbing figures however, the Trump Administration has recently announced that in-class education for pupils should be resumed this fall.
The argument to reopen schools is not an utterly illogical one. The transition from in class to online learning has placed an unforeseen burden on many students. With the digital divide restricting lower income students regular internet access, virtual education has put certain students at a disadvantage from the start. Overall, student grades have been consistently dropping since the beginning of the quarantine; the quality of education that students receive has evidently deteriorated as a result of closed schools. Appalled by these issues, many, including our president, have formed their claims: with all the cons related to virtual learning, would not the recommencement of on campus learning only benefit our students?
It is true that sending students back into classrooms would help mend the educational gaps that are widening throughout this quarantine. However, compared to the issue of student health, they are merely minor setbacks that could be tended to secondarily. With over 3.5 million people infected with the novel coronavirus, our nation’s primary concern should be to slow down the spread of the virus by avoiding any unnecessary group gatherings. Confining young children and teens into overcrowded classrooms is a one way ticket to infecting millions of more Americans, many of which will not be able to afford or access proper treatment. In other words, resuming on campus education at this time is simply a foolish and suicidal plan. If the fire is clearly burning, why should we feel the need to jump into it?
Furthermore, online learning comes with plenty of benefits that outweigh the negatives. A major advantage of working from home is that students are able to learn and study at their own individual paces, whereas they may have felt either rushed or dragged down by their peers in school. Self-paced work allows content to be absorbed in the most efficient manner for each child. Most importantly though, students are able to achieve social distancing and lower the speed of Covid-19’s diffusion, something that we desperately must work to achieve during these times. As tensions from the global pandemic rise, virtual learning can protect our country and have a benign effect on our youth as well.
Given the United States’ current relationship with SARS-CoV-2, the wisest decision would be in favor of our people’s well-being. As the rates of reported cases continue to peak, we must not cease our efforts to combat the curve and keep our distances from each other. The reopening of schools is not worth jeopardizing the entire nation’s immune system for. This is not an issue of politics. This is an issue of our basic physiological health. Keep schools closed.