Since March, New York State schools have continued to stay closed in order to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. The U.S. may hold 45% of the global pharmaceutical market, but without any vaccine or treatment available, widespread closures remain the most effective option for public health and safety. That said, there’s a lot of talk about other states — many of which are currently experiencing major surges in confirmed cases — opening their schools as early as next month. But in New York, it’s not yet clear how the educational system will be impacted. Still, some teachers are preparing for the worst, despite at least two districts in the Rochester area reporting that reopening to full capacity while meeting COVID-19 guidelines may prove next to impossible.
In many other states, the future for both teachers and students looks bleak. During 2018, 27.5 million Americans went without any type of health insurance, but lack of healthcare coverage isn’t the only concern associated with reopening schools in the fall. Not only are experts saying that 100% safety isn’t possible with an autumnal reopening, but there may also be legal liabilities associated with it. What’s more, guidance for reopening has thus far proven to be vague, confusing, and largely fueled by the desire of the Trump administration and state officials to return to some semblance of economic normalcy. As much as U.S. teachers miss and worry about their students, most are in no hurry to get back in the classroom — particularly because there’s doubt that the increased risks for both staff and students can be properly mitigated.
Many teachers are so fraught with worry that they’re buying life insurance and preparing their wills. Although it’s a good idea to have a will even if you’re under the age of 40, it’s obvious that the push to prepare these legal documents is driven by fear. Since many educators can’t afford to simply quit their jobs, particularly during an economic downturn, they find themselves preparing for a doomsday scenario.
In New York State, teachers and parents alike are still waiting to hear what will take place come September. Although Governor Andrew Cuomo won’t officially decide until early August as to whether New York schools will reopen in the fall, school districts and private schools throughout the state still have to put the work in to meet the requirements released by the state in order to operate in any capacity — whether that’s fully remote, in-person, or a hybrid model.
Last week, the state released an extensive list of guidelines schools must follow, which includes framework for topics like cleaning and disinfecting, the wearing of masks and PPE, social distancing, special restructuring, transportation, food service, extracurricular activities and after-school care, screening and contact tracing, and more. Some of the requirements feature performing temperature checks before entering buildings, possible limitations on cafeteria use and music classes, and the grouping of students in smaller cohorts to prevent viral spread. New York school districts, as well as private schools and BOCES educational facilities, have until July 31 to submit their reopening plans for the fall to the state.
Governor Cuomo has said the state’s schools will be able to reopen if a given region is in phase four and that the region’s daily virus infection rate stays below 5% (based on a 14-day average). After August 1, schools will close if the region’s infection rate rises above 9% (based on a seven-day average). And while some districts are working against the clock to feasibly prepare for a modified reopening, officials from both the Fairport Central School District and the Greece Central School District have noted that they would be unable to bring students back in a full-time capacity.
According to Fairport Superintendent Brett Provenzano, the schools within the district don’t have the necessary space to meet the state’s physical distancing requirements. Even if they were to use cafeteria and gym space for classrooms, Provenzano explained to parents in a recent notification letter, the district would come up short. As such, the district is currently considering either a fully virtual instruction setup or a mix of distance learning and physical instruction that would limit the number of students on-site on any given day. The Greece Central School District, which is the largest suburban district in the area, similarly informed parents that full-time classroom learning would be infeasible in the fall due to a lack of space. And although Fairport and Greece are among the Rochester area’s most populated school districts, it’s entirely possible that others could follow suit.
Whatever happens in the next few weeks, it’s clear that going back to normal doesn’t seem to be an option right now for anyone impacted by the field of education. It seems New Yorkers will have to wait and see — and continue practicing health recommendations — until we know more.
