"Schools all over the US have reopened. But is it really safe?"--Triece Kushner, 8th grade
Schools all over the US have been reopening and some schools have been doing really well and others, like the University of Alabama, have been doing not so great.
When the University of Alabama allowed students back on campus on August 19th, COVID case spiked up in Tuscaloosa. Not even one week into the school opening 571 students tested positive for COVID. This proved that opening the campus is not safe for the students and teachers at the university. Students feel as if they are being blamed but they feel the teachers and admissions officers are to be blamed. They are the ones who are supposed to be enforcing these rules onto the students.
“They are asking too much of the students. Like, for example, you can sit a kid down in front of his favorite ride and tell him he can’t ride the ride, the students are going to see his/her friends and want to socialize with them” Rose Willems a 5th grader at Glenview Elementary
“So schools should instead of telling students not to hang out completely they should find ways to encourage students hanging out safely. When Glenveiw opens up again, no way am i going until I know that the school is being serious about it, those kids are nasty” she concludes.
Willems feels that schools should not open until next year. She believes that it will be unsafe for everyone involved to go back to school because we can’t control what people do out of school.
“One kid could get COVID and not wear a mask or wash their hands at school and pass it to someone else at school! that can lead to other people getting COVID and soon enough, everyone would have COVID. No way.” She points out.
If colleges that have dorms sanitize everything that is shared and wash everything that needs to be washed at least once a day, there would be a significantly big difference in the risk of getting/spreading COVID. Same as schools, if they sanitize the stuff that needs to be at least once a day, then there would be a big difference in the risk of getting/spreading COVID. BUT that would require a lot of work/money. The school would need to buy an excessive amount of sanitizer and would need to get someone to clean/sanitize everyday.
“I think that schools and Colleges need to do is instead of tell students not to hang out with each other at recess or after/before class I think they should make more ways students can socialize more safely, setting up benches 6 feet away from each other so students can talk to each other safely.” said Even Deigo says, a 7th grade teacher at Desert Sky middle school in Glendale Arizona.
What do teachers think about schools opening up? It is their health that is being put in risk, along with the students. They would have to change their lesson plan to something COVID friendly.
Degio believes that kids should socialize with other kids at this time, but safely so there is no risk. He understands which ways he can teach that will not put anyone at risk.
“I keep everyone more than 6 feet apart at all times,” he said. “It makes my classroom chaotic at times because the desks are so far apart but I would much rather this then remote learning. I love my kids and I just want what's best for them. Remote learning was difficult for all of us. It took us a long time to get situated so I am kind of bummed I did all that work for nothing, I worked my butt off,” he says.
“At first I felt really uneasy about coming back to work. I was scared for not only my health but my family's health too. I would be putting my wife’s and my 8 year old child's health in danger. After it started I got more comfortable because of how well my class was following COVID-19 procedures,” he said.
“It was hard at first, like everything is with middle schoolers, but I sat everyone down and gave them a talk explaining COVID and why to wear a mask, wash your hands, stay at least 6 feet away, and just to you know be aware, and everyone understood and was way more careful. I was surprised but I’m not complaining,” Degio explained.
Schools all over the US have been opening and the US still has an underdeveloped plan. It has been shaky and hard for teachers to grow accustomed to these new procedures that most of the time, students have trouble following.
When the University of Alabama allowed students back on campus on August 19th, COVID case spiked up in Tuscaloosa. Not even one week into the school opening 571 students tested positive for COVID. This proved that opening the campus is not safe for the students and teachers at the university. Students feel as if they are being blamed but they feel the teachers and admissions officers are to be blamed. They are the ones who are supposed to be enforcing these rules onto the students.
“They are asking too much of the students. Like, for example, you can sit a kid down in front of his favorite ride and tell him he can’t ride the ride, the students are going to see his/her friends and want to socialize with them” Rose Willems a 5th grader at Glenview Elementary
“So schools should instead of telling students not to hang out completely they should find ways to encourage students hanging out safely. When Glenveiw opens up again, no way am i going until I know that the school is being serious about it, those kids are nasty” she concludes.
Willems feels that schools should not open until next year. She believes that it will be unsafe for everyone involved to go back to school because we can’t control what people do out of school.
“One kid could get COVID and not wear a mask or wash their hands at school and pass it to someone else at school! that can lead to other people getting COVID and soon enough, everyone would have COVID. No way.” She points out.
If colleges that have dorms sanitize everything that is shared and wash everything that needs to be washed at least once a day, there would be a significantly big difference in the risk of getting/spreading COVID. Same as schools, if they sanitize the stuff that needs to be at least once a day, then there would be a big difference in the risk of getting/spreading COVID. BUT that would require a lot of work/money. The school would need to buy an excessive amount of sanitizer and would need to get someone to clean/sanitize everyday.
“I think that schools and Colleges need to do is instead of tell students not to hang out with each other at recess or after/before class I think they should make more ways students can socialize more safely, setting up benches 6 feet away from each other so students can talk to each other safely.” said Even Deigo says, a 7th grade teacher at Desert Sky middle school in Glendale Arizona.
What do teachers think about schools opening up? It is their health that is being put in risk, along with the students. They would have to change their lesson plan to something COVID friendly.
Degio believes that kids should socialize with other kids at this time, but safely so there is no risk. He understands which ways he can teach that will not put anyone at risk.
“I keep everyone more than 6 feet apart at all times,” he said. “It makes my classroom chaotic at times because the desks are so far apart but I would much rather this then remote learning. I love my kids and I just want what's best for them. Remote learning was difficult for all of us. It took us a long time to get situated so I am kind of bummed I did all that work for nothing, I worked my butt off,” he says.
“At first I felt really uneasy about coming back to work. I was scared for not only my health but my family's health too. I would be putting my wife’s and my 8 year old child's health in danger. After it started I got more comfortable because of how well my class was following COVID-19 procedures,” he said.
“It was hard at first, like everything is with middle schoolers, but I sat everyone down and gave them a talk explaining COVID and why to wear a mask, wash your hands, stay at least 6 feet away, and just to you know be aware, and everyone understood and was way more careful. I was surprised but I’m not complaining,” Degio explained.
Schools all over the US have been opening and the US still has an underdeveloped plan. It has been shaky and hard for teachers to grow accustomed to these new procedures that most of the time, students have trouble following.