Reopening Schools Might Actually Save Lives

4 ways remote learning could kill more students than COVID.

(Image courtesy of parents.com)

Introduction

With the academic year fast approaching, school districts across the country have been scrambling to put together some semblance of an acceptable reopening plan during a still white-hot pandemic.

In the face of the risks that mass gatherings have posed, and governments have warned us about, it might seem all to easy to just go with remote learning and call it a day. That was certainly my opinion a few months ago.

But it’s not that easy.

Schools provide so much more than education and are a backbone supporting millions of families. Lower income families are desperate for that support, especially after bearing the brunt of layoffs over the past several months.

So where to begin?

Recently, the American Association of Pediatrics released a statement encouraging schools to reopen for in-person instruction this fall. The most popular snippet in the press is below.

With the above principles in mind, the AAP strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school.