Alanna Lane- Staff Writer
Biden Brings Back School
President Biden plans to bring back schools in better running conditions within 100 days, as a response to COVID-19. Teachers’ union leaders respect and love the urgency and dedication from the president, but they believe the 100-day pledge could be a goal instead of a fixed plan. Biden has shown that he cares a lot about education and shows how important it is, but the vaccines have recently been distributed and people are still afraid to take it. Students are the last ones on the agenda to take the vaccine, so why must he strongly want kids to come together and possibly continue to spread the virus?
Biden received his presidential power not too long ago, and he is pushing for some changes almost immediately. He has to make executives decisions to reach this “goal” for reopening schools. One will be directed towards Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to provide guidance to schools and encourage masks, testing and cleaning. Purchases for protective equipment will also go through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund. Everything sounds reassuring and safe, but Biden’s Covid testing coordinator, Carole Johnson, believes the reopening timeline may need to be extended. Johnson’s point seems reasonable, there should be no rush, or mistakes will occur. We all want the pandemic to come to an end when it comes to controlling our daily lives, but it is a serious issue that needs more time to be fixed.
Currently, schools across the country are on virtual learning. Big cities like Washington and Chicago stray away from the idea of “going green” and allowing students to come back to normal school. An American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten claims that Biden’s goal needs to be reassessed depending on how the virus is spreading over the past few months. She brought up a concerning point, “None of this is done in isolation.” If the work to reopen schools for students isn’t even done in a “COVID friendly” way, then cases will easily rise. Of course, Biden directs federal compartments to buy safe gear, but the making, transportation and distribution is most certainly not being done in the safest way possible. Lastly, Biden not only wants to reopen education buildings, but proposes $35 billion in emergency stabilization funds for colleges, when compared to 2019, 20% of enrollment is down in 2020. Weingarten finds that proposition remarkable, but there is always a catch, “Reopening and keeping colleges open is critical to ensuring that all Americans have a shot at a college credential – but it must be done safely.” President Biden has the right idea and is supported by many educators and even parents on the decisions towards more opportunities for kids to receive the best education, but making all of this possible during a pandemic is pushing it. It is risking the health of children, faculty, staff and the broader community. Overall, is this life-risking plan really worth it? No, Biden should slow down and try taking another route – a safer route.
Southview Catalyst 