Should We Really Open Schools?

My head is spinning as I try to answer that question.

August is traditionally a very exciting, anxiety-provoking, and busy month of public school teachers. There are class lists to learn, student records to read and meetings to be held.

August is usually the month of rearranging tables and desks, unpacking and storing new materials, planning activities for the first week of school.

Elementary school teachers, in particular, spend hours thinking about how to group kids for math and reading lessons and how to set up a warm and welcoming classroom.

But this year is different.

I was in my car a lot today. Lots of errands and a long wait in the car for a COVID test. I heard lots of talk radio. And by lots, I mean about 4 hours' worth. Most of it was about the question of whether to reopen American schools.

I listened with great interest and an absolute attention to detail. This is because I am the mother of a public elementary school teacher and the grandmother of her three precious kids.

Should school open now? Can schools be safe at this point in time, at this moment in the pandemic? Will kids be safe? Will teachers be safe? Will the families of kids and teachers be safe?