Safety must be No. 1 concern when reopening schools in Manatee County | Letter to the editor

As stated by the CDC, the lowest risk for schools, is for students and teachers to engage in fully virtual classes. The highest risk is students returning to in-person classes. Zero efforts have been made to simply improve the horrendous e-learning experience until further options for a low risk return are available.

A true focus towards improving e-learning would work to keep all classes and communities safe. E-learning is still an option, say local districts, but if the current and faulty form of e-learning is too difficult, exposure to the virus is the only other option. How fair is that to struggling and lowly educated families?

School districts are sending the following message; The health, education, and overall well-being of students is dependent upon income level and social status.

The public stance that is taken by leaders regarding the coronavirus pandemic, will more than likely become the stance that both students and families will adopt. Acting appropriately as leaders has the potential to continue to flatten the curve tremendously. Acting inappropriately has the potential to cause great harm, as well as a lingering spike in numbers as we are already seeing in small businesses.

Younger students who are projected to return full time are most likely to be asymptomatic if the virus is contracted from an “essential worker” or someone else in their own families. Meaning symptoms are highly likely to go undetected as they are attending classes. Younger students are also highly likely to share and mix-up one another’s masks, if masks are in fact required as a preventative method associated with the reopening plan.

Schools need just ONE back-to-school plan. A plan that ensures both safety and equality in learning.

Monique Mitchell

Bradenton