Stop pointing fingers on school decisions

Arguments over the best way to restart school continue to echo even as the 2020-21 academic year is about to open.

While state officials have offered plenty of advice and guidelines to school districts, it’s ultimately up to local school directors and administrators to determine how to provide the best education possible without jeopardizing the health and safety of students, employees and the overall community during a pandemic.

We’ve been dismayed at the tenor of much of this debate. Too many people are acting as though their opinion on this subject is the obvious right answer while questioning the motivations of those who disagree with them.

The fact is that there is no obvious right answer. Each of the popular arguments on school reopening has some merits and some drawbacks. The bottom line is that leaders have to choose from a menu of unappetizing selections to decide a way forward. They must also understand that they may have to revisit the decision based on circumstances, and that someone is going to be angry no matter what they do.

The basic approaches from which to choose are a full reopening of school buildings with in-person classes, fully virtual schooling with all students learning from home, or some combination of virtual and inperson learning. Look around the school districts in our region and you’ll see examples of all three approaches.

Which one is right? It’s impossible to say.

There’s broad agreement that in-person learning is best from an education standpoint, but bringing students and teachers together inside buildings, even on a limited basis, poses the risk of spreading the coronavirus. An outbreak would endanger the community’s health and force districts to abruptly switch gears.

Running all classes online is great from a health standpoint but not ideal educationally, and it puts working parents in a terrible bind.

Decisions on reopening are only part of the difficult discussion. The question of whether to allow school sports has been a hot topic all summer.

Again, there are good arguments on both sides. The benefits of participating in athletics are undeniable, and it certainly would be a shame for students to be deprived of the opportunity. That’s especially true of seniors who may never have another chance to compete.

On the other hand, bringing people together increases the risk of spreading the virus regardless of what health precautions are taken, short of keeping participants in isolation as the NBA and NHL are doing.

And sports like football involve the very opposite of social distancing.

Another fair question is whether it’s right for districts to allow sports while not holding classes in person. Other extracurricular activities offer many of the same benefits as sports. Will students in those groups receive similar treatment?

We certainly hope sports seasons can go forward safely and successfully. But people should remember that even in the best scenario, much of what people love about high school sports will not be taking place this year. There may be football, but there won’t be the Friday night community celebrations that so many of us cherish. That’s a particularly tough loss at a time when our communities are so deeply fractured.

More difficult weeks and months are ahead. Some of the decisions made this summer will work out well, and some will not. Let’s prepare to be kind to one another as our leaders continue navigating these troubled waters. Don’t lash out against school directors, administrators and teachers who are doing the best they can at a difficult time. Share your views with a spirit of good will.

The New York Times recently published a troubling story about how parents are blaming one another amid their frustrations about school reopening decisions. That’s particularly worrisome. Please remember that just about everyone is struggling right now in one way or another, and each family should feel free to do what’s best for them without fear of others sitting in judgment.

The situation is hard enough as it is. Let’s take on this new school year with a positive attitude and without pointing fingers.

— The Reading Eagle, Media News Group