Today was off to a pretty good start until I started seeing posts circulating Facebook about the new CDC guidelines for reopening schools.
I shouldn’t have read them – that was a big mistake.
You see, I knew this day would come.
I knew that life as we know it would change that it wouldn’t be back normal any time soon. That didn’t stop some part of me from thinking that maybe all of this was a cruel and long played out joke.
I was wrong.
I Just Read The New Recommended CDC Guidelines For Reopening Schools and My Heart Aches For The Kids.
In case you haven’t seen it yet, here is the image circulating the web:
Upsetting and disheartening, right?
Well, first things, that graphic summarizes the recommendations from the CDC but if you want to see their recommendations entirely, read them here.
Now, here’s the thing – I don’t blame the CDC. They are just doing what they think is best based off the information that they have right now.
I am just upset at the situation.
I also don’t see how any of this is possible and I am usually such an optimistic person.
Keeping kids 6 feet away from each other? Not going to happen especially when class sizes are overcrowded and small to begin with.
Wearing a mask all day – good luck. Those things are hot and annoying. I can barely stand to wear one for an hour in the grocery store (kuddos to healthcare processionals by the way).
And the whole thing about no recess, no group activities, and no lunch in the cafeteria? It sounds like a prison.
Kids touch, play and socialize. That’s what kids do. All of that is part of their development.
We are basically asking them not to be kids.
Really, what’s the point of sending kids to school at all then? Why not just enforce online learning for the year?
Again, I get the bottom line here is to help stop the spread of the virus and by all means, I want that to happen but there has to be a better way.
Kids need education.
Kids need other kids.
Kids need stability and normalcy.
Kids need to feel safe when they are away from home.
How in the world can our kids feel any sense of normalcy or feel safe in school with these sort of restrictions?
We can stand here and point fingers all day at The CDC, The President, or anyone else you think is responsible for this virus outbreak or the strict guidelines that have followed but that doesn’t change the fact that the real ones hurting here are the kids.
This is awful.
I am so saddened and sick to my stomach. I cannot even begin to wrap my head around the idea of this being the new norm for school.
I hate this. I hate this for our kids.
