Opinion

Mackey: Don’t rush to reopen schools

Monday, July 20, 2020
Joe Mackey

As Indiana joins with other states to reopen our schools too many questions are being left unanswered. According to the AASA and (School Superintendent Association) and the ASBO (Association of School Business Officials) the added cost of reopening is estimated to be around $1.8 million in added safety measures and 40 school busses. This cost is averaged for a school system with 3,659 students, 329 staff. 

At the same time schools are being rushed to open, the American Medical Association (AMA) is warning of continued PPE (personal protective equipment) shortages needed due to the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases. The AMA has laid out a 10-step plan to see that healthcare workers are supported in the need of PPE. Unfortunately, our schools have now been forced into competing for PPE products in what is being identified as an increasingly competitive market. 

Faced with limited guidelines from our federal agencies--and less than stellar state guidelines--our county governments find themselves burdened with having to reinvent education in such a way as to both impart knowledge and provide the safe environment we all agree is fundamental to learning. Federal and State governments have had precious months to develop such a plan and have wasted the opportunity. Lacking a comprehensive plan to safely reopen our schools has persisted at all levels of government.

Simply thrusting forward in reopening our schools absent a plan to do so safely is irresponsible. Simply ordering schools to reopen is like that dog that can’t hunt. It may look good to the eye, but at the end of the day it’s proven itself unworthy of the task. I do not support the rapid and ill-planned move to reopen our nation’s schools.