Stay-at-home kids need help until a coronavirus vaccine arrives

Even if school opens in the fall not every teacher and student will be able to return if there isn’t a vaccine.

There are many children who have compromised immune systems or someone in their household might have a pre-existing condition which will force them to stay home. Others simply just don’t want to chance it.

The same predicament is true for many teachers across the commonwealth.

Gov. Charlie Baker’s team has been leading from behind since the pandemic first hit and the same can be said concerning the Department of Early Education.

The lack of information from the top inevitably bleeds down to every segment of government. The fact that on Saturday Baker finally gave the green light to restaurants with less than 48 hours to go is so unfriendly for a business to pivot so quickly. Endless summer camps have already informed parents they can’t open this summer because of lack of clear guidance from the Baker administration.

Parents need to get loud now and not let the administration treat our kids as poorly as restaurants and other industries that have been destroyed by the handling of this virus. We need to lobby for the kids and demand more of a clear plan for both scenarios.

At this stage there should be a survey sent home to every family and teacher to see if they will be able to return in the fall.

The public school system will have to offer an online version for every grade. It makes sense to work now and match teachers and students potentially regionally depending on the need.

This idea of a hybrid model where kids do some classroom work and some virtual learning has been floated — but will not work for everyone.

Virtual learning cannot go away without a vaccine for the vulnerable. It is so unclear when this vaccine will be available to the public but it is believed sometime in 2021. There’s no shot for people to be vaccinated before school starts. That is a fact that we can’t ignore.

School must return in the fall where healthy families in which both parents are working full time need the support of school. These families can’t return to virtual learning. It is cruel for the child and ignores the basic fundamental right of being an American and being entitled to a free public education.

If school is open in the fall do you feel comfortable sending your children without a vaccine?

If you are a teacher do you feel comfortable returning to school in the fall?

Do you feel home school has been well thought out and executed adequately?

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2MTlFsN