Former CDC director, education secretaries simply spell out 8 not-so-easy steps to reopen schools
Former CDC Director Thomas Friedan and Education Secretary Arne Duncan of the Obama administration, along with former President George W. Bush's Education Secretary Margaret Spelling, teamed up for an article in The Atlantic weighing in on how to safely reopen schools. "We need to reopen schools this fall," the officials argue, and go on to list eight very specific steps to ensure doing so doesn't "backfire."
The officials start by acknowledging "severe illness from COVID-19 in children is rare." That's why it's more important to focus on "how well communities control the coronavirus throughout the community," and how schools fit into that puzzle. And to be sure, "in places where the virus is spreading explosively," reopening may not be possible for a while.
But where it is, schools should start by "shielding the most vulnerable" and keeping at-risk students and staff at home. For those who are at school, we should "reduce risk wherever possible" by cutting certain high-risk activities like team sports and choir. Barring nonessential visits will help "keep the virus out," the officials say, and wearing masks is essential. Class sizes will also need to shrink, perhaps into smaller "pods" and split schedules that "reduce mixing among students and staff" and "reduce occupancy" as a whole. "New health and safety protocols" will be key, and above all else, schools need to "prepare for cases" and be ready to close at any time.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But as Brown University Economics Professor Emily Oster noted to NPR on Thursday morning, all of those things will take supplies and money that many public schools simply don't have. Kathryn Krawczyk
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
What does Trump's Treasury secretary pick mean for the economy?
In the Spotlight Scott Bessent was once a Democratic donor. Now he'll serve Trump.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Magazine solutions - December 6, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - December 6, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine printables - December 6, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - December 6, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
USC under fire for canceling valedictorian speech
Speed Read Citing safety concerns, the university canceled a pro-Palestinian student's speech
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida teachers can 'say gay' under settlement
speed read The state reached a settlement with challengers of the 2022 "Don't Say Gay" education law
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden administration to forgive $39B in student loan debt for 800K borrowers
Speed Read
By Theara Coleman Published
-
Advocacy groups challenge Harvard's legacy admissions policy
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
2 Michigan school districts ban backpacks after confiscating 4th gun this year
Speed Read
By Theara Coleman Published
-
Education Department to limit bans on transgender student athletes but allow exceptions
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
UAE becomes 1st Middle Eastern country to mandate Holocaust education in schools
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
College admissions scandal mastermind sentenced to 3.5 years in prison
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published