TARRYTOWN, NEW YORK — Debates and arguments to open or not open schools in September are in full swing, both for secular schools, colleges, and of course, our Jewish day schools. It is obvious that during the present terrible situation opening schools (and, for the same reasons, colleges) is dangerous. It seems that proponents of school openings know the dangers and are still suggesting it, mostly for political reasons.
The following are some considerations about the dangers of opening schools this fall, and some alternatives to doing so:
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*Experts tell us to avoid big crowds. Schools and colleges are, by their very nature, places with large crowds.
*Consistently wearing masks and gloves and frequently washing hands are safety measures with which kids cannot reasonably be expected to comply.
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Kids at school not only study together but also play together during recess and in between classes. Can they be expected to follow necessary precautions during unstructured play time?
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Moreover, just getting to school raises complex questions regarding social distancing and safety. How many kids will be together on a school bus? Will extra school buses be available, and how many?
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Kids are less susceptible to the virus, so some “very humane” proponents of school openings argue that the percentage of casualties of the pandemic among kids is low. This raises the question: Is any percentage of casualties among kids acceptable!?
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Kids, who might be carrying the virus but have no symptoms, will bring it home to adult family members and thus increase the numbers of affected and suffering people.
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Financial concerns related to keeping schools (and businesses in general) closed are based on faulty logic. The financial losses from the pandemic, if it will get worse or recur, will be much heavier than the financial losses if we are careful and cautious. In any event, financial losses must be the very least of our concerns at a time when people are suffering and dying.
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One important and legitimate concern is that some parents need their kids to be in school so the parents can go to work. Perhaps with some difficulties, some parents who were able to go to work during school vacations can extend the measures they took during those vacations for longer periods of time. It will be difficult, but it will keep the kids safe.
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For families that are unable to find other accommodations for their children and still work, schools should make arrangements to accommodate a small number of kids; thus reducing the crowds and increasing each teacher’s ability to control kids’ activities and take other precautions against the virus.
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Of course, all kids must be able to study. In our age of technological progress, learning online is an excellent option, which has been tested during the past school year and worked well in many places. School districts in which learning from home did not go as well as it should have must now spend time and resources to ensure that things are better once the new school year starts.
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If some families cannot afford a computer, it must be provided through government programs and, as much as possible, by charities.
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With some adjustment, all of these points are equally applicable to colleges. Moreover, some specific elements of the college experience (such as living in the dormitories) make that situation even worse.
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As always, for each argument, a counter argument can be found. But let us be honest: The only right and humane way of opening schools and colleges is after a vaccine will be developed and become readily available.
Let us keep the most precious treasure we have, our kids, safe.
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Arkady Mamaysky is a mechanical engineer who emigrated directly to the United States from the former Soviet Union in 1979.