The impact of school closures on children and families made it clear that schools are just as essential as grocery stores, hospitals and electricity. There is no substitute for time spend in a classroom. Teachers are essential workers, and like everyone throughout the last several months, they are afraid. I am a teacher with the Anchorage School District and a parent of three children in the ASD school system. I understand that fear, but it is time to step up and return to school, full time, five days per week.
The more we learn about COVID-19, the clearer it becomes that, unlike most workers, teachers may be some of the least at risk by returning to work. Children have lower rates of contracting COVID-19, and may have difficulty transmitting it as well. There is increasing evidence around the world that reopening schools hasn’t significantly impacted virus transmission rates. As a teacher, I am probably more at risk from my coworkers than from my students, even with their questionable personal hygiene and social distancing habits. Children have been in sports and camps all summer. We are seeing clusters from adults mixing in bars, not kid group activities.
The proposal for two days of school per week, with secondary students taking only three classes in an accelerated quarter system, harms student learning by virtually any means measurable. We are all scared, and everyone wants to keep their families safe. At some point, however, we have to face our fears and learn to live in the world we have; that world includes COVID-19, and should include education as well. Other workers were afraid, but they went back. It’s time for Anchorage’s teachers and students to go back to school.
Heather Bascom
Anchorage
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