Please, open the schools again if it is safe to do so.
Kids need to learn with classmates present. Socialize.
It is their mental health what is at stake too.
My daughter's school had two weeks of hybrid sessions back around Labor Day when they started the school year, then they went to full time 5 days a week (with the option for kids to stay home and do Zoom/Google if they chose - which some did elect to do). They put rules in place and for the most part the kids and teachers all followed the safety protocols.
The school has had several isolated incidences of COVID over the past six months (maybe about 10 or so). We get a email notice of each incident, so they are keeping us informed, but they do not identify the student or teacher that triggered the notice. On ONE of those general notices we got a follow up letting us know that the student/teacher who was COVID confirmed was someone who might have had close contact with our daughter (we found out later that it was a cheerleader - so there definitely was some close contact issues with our daughter who is also on the cheer squad).
But our daughter has been fine and has not gotten the virus from being at school. There have been no mass outbreaks at her school from any of the isolated incidences - which tells me that most, if not all, of the transmissions took place in the infected students' homes or other contacts outside of school.
Our daughter has been able to have a mostly normal school year, interacting with her friends and classmates on a daily basis. She has participated in close to normal seasons of marching band and junior high football and basketball cheerleading, and she is going to be in the high school's annual musical production this weekend. All four of those activities have required the typical lead up schedules of after-school practices and rehearsals.
COVID is a serious and dangerous issue - it is not fake or something to make light of.
But with the proper precautions, there is no reason whatsoever for any of these schools to have forced kids to stay at home for so long. I have
no issue with any parents who make the informed decision to keep their child at home through all of this mess, but I have
serious issue with the schools who failed to give parents and students the choice. I am thankful that my child attends a school where we were given that choice. Those of you who did not have that choice should be calling for the termination of your school administrators and the dissolution of any teacher's unions serving your district.