President Biden is prioritizing reopening schools as part of his Covid-19 plan. However, should schools reopen? Here we talk through why or why not schools should open back up their doors.

Yes, we should reopen schools. 

Online learning is not fitting for many students, and it could leave them at a disadvantage. It has us sitting at a laptop 6 hours a day with 25 minutes to make and eat lunch. This is notpo good for students’ health. My eyes, back, and neck are killing me. The amount of work is overwhelming and taking a toll on my mental state too. 

Online learning has put a halt to a students’ education. Parents often work while their child is in school, but if the school is home, who will watch them? Parents would have to take time off work and learn the curriculum to help their children. Schools offered meals and an escape from those with awful home environments; schools provided a variety and much more exciting learning options. Teachers have also expressed their concerns about online learning. They also miss out on the personal connections students have with teachers. 

No, we should stay at home.

Some students have gotten used to the online learning environment, and some prefer and excel in it. We should be prioritizing health and safety over education. Putting over 3000 students and hundreds of faculty in a school is too risky right now. 

People have others at home who may be at risk for COVID-19, the elderly, babies, pregnant people, and students with respiratory problems would struggle too. Even if vaccinations are available, it takes a while to administer them all. Many are not getting their second dose of the vaccine because it is inaccessible to them. 

We are in a pandemic. Covid cases are lowering because many people are at home adhering to the health guidelines. Why rush going back to school, especially if the plan is to repeat what was supposed to happen in October 2020?