SCHOOL REOPENING: necessary or needless?
SCHOOL REOPENING: necessary or needless?
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Florida schools reopened in August. How do parents, teachers, and students feel about that decision?
Amid uncertain times in a global pandemic, the Brevard County School Board was faced with a tough decision about whether or not to reopen schools. While the decision to reopen was not made without precautions, some parents and teachers have had reservations about that choice.
White House Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, along with other administration officials, have indicated that the three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeals has approved the decision to reopen schools. However, this decision was made without a specific plan in mind as to how schools would be reopened. White House health officials have said that reopening schools should be determined based on the severity of the outbreak locally, and that a unified national plan to reopen them would not work. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, concerned about the educational outcome of complete online schooling, issued an executive order on July 5, 2020 mandating that all Florida schools must reopen. However, this decision has been widely criticized.
“We’re in a pandemic and it really should have been up to the local school districts to decide what was best for their communities, because everybody was a little different,” Ms. Leslie Leutbecker said.
The reopening of schools is an experiment that parents, children, teachers, and staff will have to endure. While many people opposed the reopening of schools, there is also a fair share of people that have supported the Governor and the School Board's decision to offer the in-person form of learning to students.
“As long as we can continue to do what we can to protect ourselves and follow certain safety procedures, we can beat this disease,” said Mrs. Swindel, an Edgewood parent.
After Gov. DeSantis pushed for schools to reopen this summer, parents and teachers were concerned about what precautions the schools were going to implement. Edgewood, like other schools in Brevard County, reopened for in-person learning at the end of August, and has implemented social distancing and mask-wearing policies to help protect students and teachers. But even though the school has taken considerable measures to protect students and staff, some say these measures are not enough.
“Edgewood’s precautions look good on paper,” said Chase Thompson, 10. “But kids are going to cluster in the hallways and sit next to their friends at lunch. I don’t think there is any real way of avoiding that.”
Florida public schools will continue to let students learn at home if they choose, even while many schools have opened. In a poll commissioned by the Florida Education Association, 64% of parents agreed that the decision to reopen schools should be made locally. Many students have chosen to take this at-home learning option, because while many are excited about returning to school in person, others worry about the safety of themselves and their loved ones at home.
“If I went to school and someone had COVID, I would be putting my grandparents at risk and people I love at risk,” said Gianna Fernandez, 10.
The Florida Education Association, or FEA, filed a lawsuit against DeSantis, claiming that his executive order didn’t allow the school boards their constitutional authority to operate their own school systems. After closing statements, Judge Charles Dodson ruled in favor of the FEA. However, the story doesn't end there. Governor Desantis appealed the ruling, so a different decision may be reached in another court.
But while Gov. DeSantis may have ordered schools to reopen, some students and teachers returned simply because they felt safe with the people around them.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I was safe. Edgewood staff and students are very thoughtful,” Mrs. Juana Frederick said. “I felt safe to return to campus.”
This is Anna’s first year on The Edge staff. She has been at Edgewood since seventh grade. She enjoys spending her time playing sports and reading. As a staff writer this year, she hopes to enhance her writing skills.
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