Covid-19: We Can Reopen Schools if We Put Aside Politics and Look at the Science

When the first wave of COVID-19 lockdowns hit the U.S., the 2019-2020 school year fell to the wayside. Sports and entertainment events were canceled, as were school trips and end-of-the-year parties. High school seniors missed their senior proms and were forced to graduate over Zoom. The shutting down of America’s school systems, undoubtedly, had a significant impact on the mental, physical, and educational well-being of America’s children.

The issue of whether or not to open the schools this fall has turned into a profoundly political and divisive issue.

On the side of reopening the schools is Donald Trump and the Republicans. “So what we want to do is we want to get our schools open. We want to get them open quickly, beautifully, in the fall. And the—as you know, this is a disease that’s a horrible disease, but young people do extraordinarily well,” Trump said at a press conference last month.

The Democrats, on the other hand, are vehemently opposed to reopening the schools. “Trump and the Republicans want to take big risks, but Americans want to be cautious, and that’s the basic problem here. Americans feel Trump and Republicans are trying to push them into situations where their health is in danger, and it’s causing them big problems,” said Democratic strategist Brad Bannon.

The rhetoric on both sides is getting hotter with each passing day. But what do the facts say?

First off, it is scientifically accepted that COVID-19 does not affect kids in the same way it does adults. Dr. Silvia Chiang, an assistant professor at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, told The New York Times: “The findings currently are pointing to a likelihood that young children have a lower risk of becoming infected and maybe even a lower risk of transmitting. I think it’s an evolving situation, but I wouldn’t be surprised if those are the conclusions that we end up drawing.”

Scientists currently do not know for sure why kids are less likely to be severely affected by the coronavirus, but some suspect it might be on the cellular level. When COVID-19 infects the body, it attaches itself to the human cell by docking on the ACE2 receptor. Children have fewer ACE2 receptors than adults.

In New Jersey, one of the hardest-hit states, only two children under the age of 18 have died of COVID-19. It’s a tragedy, but it does not spell catastrophe.

For children under the age of 5, only 17 have died in the U.S. from coronavirus as of July 11. That’s roughly one-third the numer that have died of the flu in that same period. Serious question: if we don’t shut down for the flu, why should we for COVID-19? If your answer is something to the effect: “we don’t want the kids to affect the teachers and their families at home.” Fair enough. But the science is beginning to show that kids are weak transmitters of the virus. It has been speculated that this is due to the fact that children have smaller lungs and are, thus, unable to push virus-infected droplets out.

Good luck with that, although the statement is correct.
To open schools now effectively, one would need to hire teachers outside that labor union. I don’t know if that’s feasible or even legal.

There would be big drama about those daring to
‘cross the picket lines’, so security would be needed.
Any substitutes would risk being doxxed and harassed in their private lives. The Libs love to do that.

There are 23 nations with a higher death rate than the United States, and almost all have opened schools (except Mexico and I think Peru or something). The entire Western Civilized world basically has reopened schools.

The United States has largely NOT reopened schools. For the larger districts, basically only GA and FL.

My two teens, as we speak, are all alone in their rooms doing “distance learning.” It is heartbreaking!

The rest of the world values children and education more than the United States, clearly—period. And the teachers unions are apparently more powerful here, and the teachers are more fearful here.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.