What will school look like in the Fall of 2020? That’s a really good question. To be blunt: I don’t really know exactly either right now. In South Carolina, the state department of education is working with a taskforce to try to answer that very question. The answers are not easy nor are they likely to be perfect for everyone. I like to say that our schools are a microcosm of the communities they serve. Across our country right now debates have arisen about the nation’s response to COVID-19. Some argue that a second wave of infection is coming, and that stringent measures and precautions need to stay in place. Others say that it’s time to return life to normal sooner rather than later. A lot of people probably fall somewhere in the middle. That’s the challenge for educators as they plan out the new school year – developing strategies that keep everyone safe while also working to meet the needs of all children. Not matter what plans are developed locally, one thing is clear to me: teachers and other educators will do their best for the children. No matter the plan, no matter the situation, teachers will make it work.
It’s very understandable that parents are anxious. I am a parent of an eight-year-old and a ten-year-old myself and I also feel anxiety about the Fall. But then I remember that I already entrust my two children to teachers daily, knowing they will care for my children as if they are their own.
So it will be in the Fall as well. Regardless of what rules and regulations come down from the policy makers at the state level, our educators will do their best for children. Teachers are remarkably resilient and protective. While we may not yet know what the Fall will look like for our schools, I have confidence that teachers and school staffs will do everything humanly possible to keep children safe and well educated.
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