Why Ohio Schools Are Open, Maryland’s Remain Closed, And Answers To Fundamental Questions About Reopening

In Pataskala, Ohio, Watkins Memorial High School has been open all year. According to CNN, teachers, staff and students have all heralded what has occurred there. “’The spread is not there. We just set our expectations and the children have followed it, and it’s been fantastic,’” said one teacher. And the Superintendent of the Southwest Licking School District told CNN she was happy to show anyone what’s worked so well.

These and other reasons are why Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has mandated in-person learning next week. 

But in Montgomery County, Maryland, Teachers staged a protest against demands that they return to school, with a few hundred slated to come Monday, and many more later this month.

Bethesda Magazine reported that “The teachers union called the reopening plan ‘irresponsible’ and took a vote of ‘no confidence’ last week.” Gym teacher and union leader Susan Loftus said she is concerned about the school system’s ability to effectively contact trace and that there is a potential for ‘super-spreader events.

Some might wonder what is so different about these two communities in Ohio and Maryland. The answer? About 500 miles. The reality is there is no difference between their conditions. The Montgomery County schools are slightly bigger than the Licking School District, but they’ve not even opened to date, with smaller numbers. Yet, they are acting as if they are in another world, accusing district and state officials of failing to mind their safety, when there is an abundance of evidence that being in school can be safe for all.

Many are asking, if many schools have opened, and the CDC says in-person learning is safe, why are most districts still remote? Here’s my take on that, and a few additional questions and answers weighing heavily on the minds of most Americans.

Why are most districts still remote?

To be blunt – districts are still remote because of an unwillingness to wrestle with the unions in order to force the issue. 

Too many city leaders, school board members and superintendents are craven when it comes to standing up for their students if that means standing up to the unions and going toe-to-toe with them, such as is the case with New York Mayor Bill deBlasio and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. But even when they try to force the issue, as Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has, they have no support from other city and state officials.

The mantra for the last year has been “follow the science.”  Well, the science is clear and the CDC has put it as plainly as possible: getting kids and teachers back in the classroom is one of the safest, least risky behaviors either group can engage in. So the hold up is frankly on the part of the interest groups. This is outlined in detail in the Latest On The School Reopening Saga.

Should teachers be prioritized for the Covid vaccine? 

From all the reports it seems that there is widespread acceptance that the “first wave” of vaccinations should mostly be reserved for healthcare workers, staff and residents of nursing homes and long term care facilities and people in the very high risk age group of over 65 or 70. We should have no problem with those priorities. In fact, since that has started happening, Covid infection rates are down everywhere.

The next “tier” to get priority for most states seems to be workers in emergency services, food and agriculture and educators. And that is moving as intended. But we must not wait for all to receive their vaccination before we get students back to school. The evidence is clear that existing mitigation measures are working.

What is the roadmap to getting every student in a classroom by the end of this school year? 

First, we must follow the evidence, the science, the guidelines and common sense. We could get most students back in a classroom for the 3 months or so left in this school year – and into the summer –  if our leaders would have the fortitude to demand it.

Second, districts should be required to open as a condition of getting any additional federal or state supplemental funds. We cannot continue to fund schools that are closed.

Finally and most importantly, put the decision to parents and let them direct their funds to the school or learning environment that they want and need, right now.  Funding families, not institutions, would not only force the systems to open but would satisfy the most important outcome intended by education funding – that education actually occurs.