The classroom environment is much more productive for learning.
Photo: Courtesy / NYC Mayoral Office
This school year that is coming to an end has been very difficult for everyone: particularly for students from vulnerable families. The pandemic made a 360-degree turn to the way of teaching. Overnight virtual classrooms entered homes.
That is why it is natural that before the announcement of the total reopening of the schools for the next school term, many parents from large cities – such as New York and Los Angeles – express their doubts about whether or not it is the best decision.
Although parents’ fears are justified because we know that the coronavirus has not been eradicated, it is also true that there are weapons to deal with it: the main one today is vaccination against Covid-19.
The fact of having available doses of Pfizer and most likely Moderna, for children 12 years and older, should be an incentive for the students of our community to return to normality in their school routine. According to CDC data, 17 million young people between the ages of 12 and 15 can already be immunized.
Parents have to trust science. Vaccine trials have shown their effectiveness in children. They must not be carried away by false theories.
The commitment of the educational authorities to maintain cleanliness and hygiene in school grounds should also dispel doubts from families about returning to school. Summer should serve as a kind of transition for kids to get back to enjoying the outdoors and interacting with each other.
Let the two months of vacation from school serve as relief. A Well Beings mental health survey showed that nearly 50% of teens confessed that their mood worsened during the pandemic and more than 50% said their social life has deteriorated.
On the other hand, according to experts, virtual classes have been far from guaranteeing an adequate education in most of the country. It has even been documented that at least three million students have completely dropped out of their education in the past year. And you don’t have to be a fortune teller to know that those affected have been low-income families. One of the main obstacles has been the technology gap. Not all homes have a good Internet connection.
Parents should remember that the classroom environment is proven to be much more productive for student learning.
Don’t think twice, get your kids vaccinated and let them go back to school.
