The citizens of the state of Texas had been in suspense (and really we still are since we still need more info), waiting to hear from the governor and TEA (Texas Education Agency) about whether or not schools will be reopening in the fall. Mindful, I am a teacher and under contract, and even I didn't know. They couldn't tell us anything when the school year ended because they didn't know. Understandably, with the pandemic, it was impossible for local admins to make plans. We ended the school year with the last 9 weeks being online classes and a pass/fail system. But what would the next school year be like?
Well, during the week we received notification from the governor that they intend to begin the coming school year with in-person classes (with an option for parents who don't feel that it's safe to keep their kids at home and do online classes). Interesting. I wonder how those logistics will work. I'm sure school district admins are scrabbling to figure out how to make these logistics work; here's a hint: it's not possible to guarantee safety in the schools in the fall.
Oh wait - TEA made a statement:
Thankfully, hundreds of people replied upset at this announcement. How can TEA possibly guarantee that it "will be safe for Texas public school students, teachers, and staff to return to school campuses for in-person instruction this fall" when science says the threat of the coronavirus continues? Many of the public responses asked to see the evidence and reasoning behind TEA's statement. I wonder if that will ever be forthcoming.
It isn't safe. I don't understand how it could possibly, suddenly, magically, be safer without a vaccine/cure for the coronavirus. The TEA statement was released during the week of the highest reported number of coronavirus cases in Texas. If it wasn't safe last spring, it certainly hasn't gotten safer. There's no logic here.
Here's a nice infographic put together by Yahoo Finance to explain the danger:
Schools are one of the places with the highest danger of getting the coronavirus. The safest option is staying home. I typically have 30 students enrolled in a class that I teach, in a room with no windows. That AC system pumping air throughout the building is going to be spreading the coronavirus. Those students are going to be breathing on each other, sneezing and coughing, touching each other and the same surfaces - and that's just in the classroom. In the cafeteria, it's going to spread even easier.
Teacher unions are fighting the good fight. Many parents have posted online that they intend to keep their students at home, even homeschooling if necessary. Let's not put the students in danger. Let's not put the teachers in danger. Let's not force people to do homeschooling when they don't really want to. Let's just go with improved online learning. Teacher video instruction and personal interaction. Let's do our best to keep people from getting sick, getting medical bills, forever having their health ruined, or - worst of all - dying.
Be safe out there (and I'll be safe in here)!
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