In a recent New York Times article, the discussion over when and how to reopen schools is beginning to include emerging data from reopening strategies abroad. While this is a hotly contested issue, the debate over how to reopen schools or whether to reopen at all has been a topic of conversation since the first school closure. In all areas of our lives we have begun to ask the hard questions, “when will it be safe enough to resume our normal daily activities?” and “what precautions are necessary in order to resume those activities?” Two distinct camps begin to emerge when you opine over the answers to these questions; there are those who feel that the health risks are low thereby making the academic and emotional tole of school closures their top priority. The other camp has significant lingering concerns over public health risks and are not eager to take on that level of risk with their children and families.
Of course, the health and well-being of our children should remain our top priority. However, let’s consider what we are asking of not only our students but our teachers as well. Over the past several decades we have continued to demand an overwhelming number of competencies from our teachers while simultaneously creating learning environments that have become anything but environments where learning can occur. Unfortunately, in the wake of unprecedented school violence, schools have become a source of trauma for many students and teachers. To date, federal and state leadership has been unable to pass legislation leading to any meaningful change in this arena.
Nevertheless, the conversations about how these adverse childhood experiences impact the physical and emotional health of children are beginning to happen on a national level. Maybe instead of asking the question of whether children should go back to school, we should be asking how do we best support teachers and students in whatever way they “go back.” We still have a lot to learn about this virus and it is unlikely that the United States will demonstrate the type of numbers needed to continue reopening on a large scale. So for now, maybe we can reimagine schools as not only places for learning but as sources of healing.
The article referenced can be found here:
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