Mitchel Lewis, Activities Editor
March 22, 2021
It’s been almost a year since the shutdowns were announced in Pennsylvania, but some students have still not returned to in-person learning in public schools. Many things from pre-pandemic schooling have left us and most will not be seen or experienced again. Sadly, the pandemic is still ravaging the world, and all of us fear that normal life for students, and soon to be college students, will never be the same again. So the main issue at hand is how can we restore the schools to their former selves, bring back the old way of things and do it safely and in a timely manner?
The pandemic is still very serious, and our main goal is to keep following the rules that were put in place so we can restore our nation back to normal. This is a very weird time. Not only has it been a mess and a nightmare for students, but it has also been a handful for our administration. Many public school administrations have put in place rules that the students and teachers have to follow so that COVID doesn’t spread while also bringing students back in the buildings. Most schools have offered both in-person and virtual options to students and families this year.
Schools are bringing students back into the buildings this spring. This could increase the number of cases in schools due to a higher number of students interacting. Even with the vaccine being available to the public, will the vaccine keep COVID-19 away from schools and not come back?
The answer and solution is both very clear and simple.The reality is that COVID-19 will actually affect schooling long term. Though in-school education is very enjoyable and 82 percent say they would like to return to their normally operating school once the crisis is over, according to CIVIS Analytics, schools should cut the option and go fully online. Without anyone in the building, the threat of spreading could be very beneficial and could help stop the virus as well. The option will help greatly, though it may be hard to accept, as long as everyone understands the benefits of staying online.