The novel coronavirus COVID-19 is still spreading around the world. Despite the pandemic, Georgia, Oklahoma, Alaska, South Carolina and Florida have proceeded to reopen stores and beaches to the public.
According to the KCRA news, Trump suggests that states should reopen their schools again despite the concerns for COVID-19. He wants to have the schools open before the end of the year. It has been previously said months ago that schools were unsafe for students to return until summer or fall.
The state of Montana has said that they are allowing schools to have the option to return to a in classroom teaching. Districts could resume “classroom instructions on May 7.”
“I think that it may be a good idea to reopen schools, but still have to follow guidelines. They would need to decide in the classes so only a few people go to the classroom at a time. Only classes that have labs and need to be hands on should reopen, classes that could remain online should stay online,” said Litzy Garcia, a student at Delta College.
Shareena Mustain, a student at Humphrey’s University, doesn’t like the idea of schools reopening.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea because there are classrooms that hold up to 100-plus students,” Mustain said. “The virus can spread fast because janitors do not clean the desks after and before each class session.”
Teachers say they will take care to follow safety standards.
“Once school reopens, I will follow the guidelines. I have always gone over with students on how to cough while not getting germs on others and remind them to always wash hands. However, now I will be more cautious and will probably have more strict ways so that they sanitize hands. But I will have to wait and follow the strict guidelines”, was what Monica Retamoza, a second-grade teacher in French Camp, said.
According to the Health Agencies in California, Teachers and students will need to follow the 6 feet social distancing rule while in classrooms. As for colleges, the student population would be cut in half where only half of students will go on certain days and the other half will go on the other days of the week.
Retamoza said that the Manteca Unified School District has closed schools until July 30.
Most colleges have moved their teachings online. It has been difficult for students to keep up with academic classes that some students have decided to drop their classes because they are not getting the help they were looking for.
In the New York Times article Randi Weingarten,the former president of the United Federation of Teachers, talks about the safety of reopening school and what precautions we should take. She said in a New York Times article that the questions shouldn’t be if they will reopen school, “but how we do it safely.”
Many stores that are opening are taking drastic measures in only letting a small amount of people into the building. With schools reopening they would need to have students’ desks 6 feet apart, serve meals in the classroom instead of their cafeteria and close the playgrounds or any other gathering areas.
Some students believe returning to school is better because they get the in-person teaching they were looking for.
“I don’t mind going to school until 2021 if it’s best for our health, but it would be better for our academics to have school in person,” said Kristina Ortiz, a Sacramento State student.