Dear Editor,
The newspaper has always been the venue of choice for me to express my opinion when I feel strongly about something. Right now, the parents in our county are faced with an extremely important decision regarding their children returning to the classroom. This decision is difficult if not impossible to make without relying on the facts and expert analysis of the Infectious Disease Specialists and The Center for Disease Control (CDC). There is no doubt about what they recommend. 1-Social Distancing, 2-Face Covering (masks or shields), 3-Testing and 4-Contact Tracing. If the children are not spaced 6 feet apart in the classroom, then the decision should be NO, they cannot return safely. No point really in discussing the other recommendations if the first one is not met. I realize that some creative thinking will be needed to achieve this important step. The number of students may need to be decreased to 10 students per class depending on the size of the classroom which would mean that the school week would need to be shared. I have heard that if the children wear masks in school that the distance is decreased to 3 feet. That certainly places more responsibility on the shoulders of our children. I hope that the schoolboard will be able to logistically arrange for a classroom size with the number of students that will follow the recommendations of the expert scientific community.
Sincerely,
Debbie Montoya
Editor’s Response:
Last Spring, while the students were to be taught at home — for their safety — I stopped shopping at different stores because the stores were over run with school aged students.
All summer, I have witnessed children out side playing, mowing lawns , swimming and bicycling without masks or being socially distanced.
I fully believe that our school adminstratorand parents are capable in protecting our students and it is my hope that they are given the chance to do so.
Tammy Beamer