The Case for Re-Opening Schools

School district officials are consumed with trying to figure out if, when and how to reopen schools during the coronavirus pandemic — with no definitive answers from even the top experts on infectious diseases.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently issued guidance for school reentry that said districts should do everything they can to bring students back into classrooms. The organization “strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school” — and the reasons are not just about academics. It said:

The importance of in-person learning is well-documented, and there is already evidence of the negative impacts on children because of school closures in the spring of 2020. Lengthy time away from school and associated interruption of supportive services often results in social isolation, making it difficult for schools to identify and address important learning deficits as well as child and adolescent physical or sexual abuse, substance use, depression, and suicidal ideation. This, in turn, places children and adolescents at considerable risk of morbidity and, in some cases, mortality. Beyond the educational impact and social impact of school closures, there has been substantial impact on food security and physical activity for children and families.

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