Students all across Atlanta Public Schools (APS) have been at home for nearly nine months due to virtual learning. Some students are really eager to go back to school because they are tired of staying at home and not being able to meet their friends like they used to. To reduce the stress of staying at home and to get back to the way things were before quarantine, schools are starting to reopen. However, this may lead to more harm than good, adding to the weight our country is already bearing.

On December 3rd, APS released plans to return to in-person learning as soon as January 2021, starting with Pre-K and Special Education and eventually building up to high school in February. Students have the option to remain virtual if they desire. Protocols put in place for in-person learning include mandatory masks, screening measures, sanitizing stations, and access to personal protection equipment for both students and staff.

Although most students have adapted to online schooling, there are some students who haven’t. This may be because of a lack of availability of online services or personal matters. While these reasons for reopening are valid, the idea of going back to school is a terrible decision, as the risk of contracting COVID-19 is too high.. Many have a weak immune system, which makes them more vulnerable to the virus. Furthermore, COVID-19 can result in changes to one’s body which can be permanent or lead to death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 277,825 people have already died in the United States due to COVID-19.

Ideally, a plan for reopening would include sanitizing the class after each period, giving hand sanitizers to students and making sure every student and staff member is wearing a mask and that students are following the 6 feet rule. However, it’s common sense that students and staff might break the rules that APS put in place, because they are fed up that they have to follow a certain rule and will feel like that their freedom has been limited. 

Finally, the reopening plan has some flaws which can harm both students and staff. First, if a child contracts the virus, they can pass it to immunocompromised family members, such as parents or grandparents who are extremely vulnerable to the virus. Second, this plan will cost a lot of money which could instead be going towards giving students better technology, enabling them to join classes online with fewer connectivity issues. Finally, this plan will be stressful for teachers because they have to keep in mind all of the rules which they have to enforce such as enforcing social distancing and sanitizing, while teaching to two sets of students at once. This stress will lead to a decrease in teaching ability and can affect their mental health. 

Schools should not open: the harmful effects on the students and staff heavily outweigh the potential benefits.