Back to School
16 September 2020
Shouting “kids need to be in school” is about as helpful as shouting “this virus needs to go away.” As of September 10th, children accounted for 9.2% of the 166,587 positive Covid cases in Tennessee. 208 of the 7,444 Covid-related hospitalizations in the state were children. Of the 1,931 deaths from Covid in Tennessee, .02% were children. Statistically insignificant, right? Probably not to the friends and families of the 5 children who died.
A recent study demonstrated that children ages 10 and up spread Covid as effectively as adults, so even dismissing the risk of Covid to children as “statistically insignificant” doesn’t address the risk of transmission. Students are only part of the entire school community. Another recent study (conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation) found that 1 in 4 teachers have conditions that put them at a high risk of becoming seriously ill if they contract Covid. A separate data analysis specifically ranks Tennessee 8th among all states for the most high-risk teacher populations. If contact in schools leads to students having to quarantine, nearly 12% of Tennessee children will be quarantined in a home where they live with grandparents. Nearly half of those children are being raised exclusively by grandparents. The risk of serious illness or death from COVID increases significantly with age. 65% of the 283 Covid deaths in Nashville thus far have been adults age 65 or older.
Simply insisting “kids need to be in school” and hoping for the best won’t eliminate the risk that teachers, family members, and even some children may become seriously ill or even die from the virus. Covid is a real threat, and barreling forward as though life as it once was can be willed back into existence won’t make it go away. Many children are struggling to thrive – both academically and emotionally – while trying to learn at home. Many parents are struggling to cope, and teachers are missing the biggest perk of being a teacher – daily contact with students. This is hard, and it’s not fair, but it is real.
Is getting kids back to school really a priority for the greater community? Why are bars, restaurants and transpotainment open (albeit at half capacity) even as schools are just beginning to move toward a graduated reopening? Our youngest students have the option of returning to their schools in less than a month. Those who choose in-person school will be taught by teachers deemed “lowest risk” for serious complications from Covid. Everyone will be asked to wear masks, keep a safe distance from others, and practice very diligent hygiene. However, the actions of the entire community will determine whether or not that return will be short-lived, and if the schedule for phasing in older students will be able to continue according to plan.
If virtual school is going well for your family, please consider keeping your child(ren) in virtual school for the rest of 2020. You can be a part of the effort by helping to limit the number of students in schools, allowing for safer distancing (and possibly allowing more teachers to continue to teach virtually while the danger of Covid is still very much imminent). For more than a decade Nashville schools have not received full funding, yet now the additional costs for virtual school technology and Covid-related safety measures must be covered. If schools, families, and the entire community can work together to get through this, then perhaps the stage will be set for a real change post-pandemic: a Nashville that places value on education above all else and recognizes that the benefits of fully funding and resourcing schools will resonate throughout the entire community for years to come.