Shelby County School announces possible return to schools
Teachers and Administration prepare for a populated school day by placing socially distanced markers in the hallways and pathways around the school. After being vacant for months, this grand entrance could be seeing visitors soon.
Wake up, log in, take notes, repeat; students have adapted to their new learning environments for the 2020 school year. Despite the recent spike in COVID cases, Shelby County tweeted a proposal to return to school in January, causing apprehension and anticipation among students and teachers.Some students, such as Aanya Kabra (9), believe going back to school would not be the safest option.
“As you can see, the Covid cases are only rising in Tennessee,” Kabra said, “My brother and I were doing school online, and we will continue to do so virtually.”
CDC guidelines are vital for keeping the pandemic controlled. However, many reports in school and work environments show that people are ignoring these guidelines, and uncertainty exists about whether White Station students would obey the guidelines.
“I know they won’t,” Harini Gopi (10) said, “I think when you are with your friends you feel more comfortable around them and you’ll take your mask off. Some students do not believe in the severity of Covid-19.”
Many schools within the Shelby County District have over 1,000 students enrolled. Being forced to return collectively could cause a spike in cases and a switch between physical and online schooling due to schools constantly being shut down.
“I do worry about that,” AP World History teacher Jason Fernandes said, “I have friends who teach in districts like that. It’s hard to keep up with everything and it’s hard for students, teachers and parents. I think it’s going to be very difficult.”
Some students are scared for this possible return while others have found things they are excited for. The possibility of seeing friends can, unfortunately, go hand-in-hand with the possibility of getting COVID, a reality many students are struggling with.
“Part of me would say, seeing my friends [is something I’m excited for],” Gabi Clark (9) said. “At a six-feet distance, but still seeing them. However, seeing the risks of COVID and seeing how many people have died from it… I’m worried about dying and having to quarantine.”
Though the details of the return to school are not set in stone, more information about this return should be revealed in the following months. Lauren Hobson (10) offers a point: “Wear your mask correctly. We need to think of the community as a whole.”
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