If you are a member of a school watching the recent news it might make your guts clench. Some colleges and school districts are planning to re-open in the Fall but close after Thanksgiving. Wouldn’t it be safer for students, staff, and the community to reverse that plan?

And what concerns me is, albeit the political equivalent to shaking hands and kissing babies, is the answer to this question. “Can you guarantee the health and safety of staff and students?” “Yes, as safely as possible!”

That doesn’t answer the question. Districts and universities CAN’T guarantee zero community spread.

Be honest and say, “No, we can’t guarantee no one will get sick. But we are following the CDC guidelines and HOPING for the best.” Now that’s a honest answer.

If you work or attend school it is hard not to laugh or cry at some of these guidelines and conversations about how to “safely” re-open.

Let’s take band, choir, and P.E. for example. 6 feet apart is not enough space when kids are breathing more heavily than in any other classroom. Droplets are going everywhere. Okay, then try 10 feet apart. Oh, wait how do you blow through your horn or sing with a mask on? Kids will be passing out on the track while sprinting in face coverings

Spit, saliva, and sweat is everywhere in these classes. Honestly, even at 6 feet apart I would only have space for 11 kids in a band class.

Even if we are talking about “normal” classrooms can you honestly imaging feeling safe? Kids are coughing and sneezing constantly. And many don’t have the use your elbow thing down.

Are we going to provide PPE for those who don’t have any? Where is the custodial man power coming from to “sanitize” every inch of the building more than once a day? These positions have been cut back drastically all ready so they can barely get their normal duties done.

Think about k-5 sanitizing everything shared between uses? Who is doing that? It would take the teachers and kids at least 60 minutes of each day to do this by the time it was added up.

Is the government going to NOT severely cut school budgets by millions of dollars so districts can hire bus drivers, custodians, purchase PPE, sanitizer, and plexiglass shields? Will we have money for buses, only 1 kid per every 6 ft., to get these kiddos to school?

We say we value teachers and schools. We say our children are the most important resource and we love them but…yeah let’s take a chance on this re-opening with out a vaccine idea.

This morning I heard an interview. The thrust of the conversation was basically, we have to re-open child care and schools so parents can go back to work, children can start learning, and school is the safest place for kids.

We all want to work and reclaim a sense of securiry.

We hear from students that it isn’t to much work but they don’t know how to manage their time in order to get it done. Their sense of loss, grief, and confusion is paralyzing for many.

Parents are trying bravely to care for their kids and traverse the pandemic as gracefully and courageously as superheros.

But, sending our children back to school without compassionate and creative conversation based on science is dangerous.

If this train of thought continues un-checked we will be marching our school staff and students into a war zone of dysfunctional germ control. Community spread will occur quickly as infected school members and kids go home and out to the grocery stores.

Does it have to be a black and white solution because trust me this is not the best solution.

This is a desperate attempt to get the economy going and promote someone’s political agenda.

It might sound like I am ranting or venting but here is the deal. Mindful advocacy, honesty, and standing up for the health and safety of our students and staff is not venting.

Education has turned into every thing to everyone. Why is that and is it even right? It is a commentary on the state of our country. But, if that’s the way it is going to be then don’t cut the budgets and do listen to the experts inside the building before sending them off to a potential disaster.

Parents need to work and make money. People need to not just feel safe but BE safe.

We are all in this together can’t just be a nice thing to say anymore.

New solutions, creative thinking, and compassion is required.

We cannot try to fix a problem by putting others in harms way.

That would be the easy solution, the temporary fix, and it normally leads to a dead end.

The pandemic is asking us all to stop and think not just about our personal priorities but the priorities and health of our small, large, and global systems.

The systems that made our society “work” are not working anymore. Going back to “normal” would ultimately recreate this crisis again and again and again.

If you are reading this blog I apologize for likely preaching to the choir. [Put your mask on please.]

I guess one of my points is we can’t sit quietly on our meditation cushions and not get up and advocate for change.

Compassionate conversations and solutions might not be easy or fast but they may certainly be better for everyone in the long run.

Be well, be kind, be compassionate, and think creatively.

Gratefully,

Mary