Initially, my children's school district was offering two options for students returning to school. Option 1: Fully Remote. Option 2: Fully In-Person. Then, at the very last minute, they decided to have *all* students go fully remote. I was hoping for a hybrid (2-day-a-week) model, but was happy that at least all students would be "in the same boat" with remote learning.
My two school aged children are now rounding the corner on finishing up the first quarter of strictly remote (online) learning, and so far, remote learning has gone impressively well. My city's school district planned very well in making the remote learning easy to follow, as well as interactive. Both my kids have been relatively happy and stress free, during what could have been, a highly stressful situation.I was hoping, yet again, for a hybrid model in the following quarters. However, our school district has decided that for the next quarter, children will go back to school for a blended/hybrid model for just two weeks, and then *all* the children will be returning for 4 days a week of in person instruction. OR...parents can choose to keep them strictly remote.
And so here I am, yet again, having to choose between two terrible options, because yet again, the school district failed to do what's in the best interests of children's emotional AND physical well being. They said 67% of parents voted for a 4 day a week model. Well, of course they did, because they want to be able to go to work, without the hassle of finding childcare. I am not saying *all* parent's motives are selfish, but I have read the comments/discussions, and it sure sounds like most of them just want free "daycare". Even in households where parent's can afford to have one stay at home parent, most of them just don't want to do it. Our society is no longer set up to foster "stay at home moms (or dads)". This decision was made, not because it's the safest for our children, but rather to make working parents happy.
The problems with this plan, is the same as it has always been. 1: Parents will still send their sick kids to school, endangering healthy children. And 2: There is NO WAY to social distance a classroom full of children, unless a hybrid/blended model is implemented. Students will be crammed together for hours in a room, breathing/coughing/sneezing all over each other. Add the upcoming flu season on top of Covid-19, and it's a recipe for disaster!
I have wanted a hybrid model this whole time, because I want my children to get some social interaction, especially since they are both in new schools, but I also want them to have their *best* chance at staying healthy. A hybrid model would have allowed that, but our school district only wants to offer that for two weeks. I am beyond frustrated. It looks as though we will be doing another quarter of school, remotely.