School confessional: ‘After instilling the fear in us, you want us to drop our kids off with a smile?’

The following is a response to our call for people to share thoughts and concerns about Michigan schools returning to in-person learning this fall.

“I think it is unbelievable that you all are trying to make people believe it’s safe to drop children off at school for a full day while we are still unable to attend a 90-minute cartoon movie with our kids for recreation. Obviously, the government is ONLY concerned about the parents of these children going back to work. My child brought home every infection that entered the doors of his school, therefore do you honestly think as a mother I would want to send him in an environment to become exposed to a deadly, incurable disease? Essentially, you’re frightening us with all of the details of Covid-19 and everything associated with it (INCLUDING IRATE PEOPLE WHO DON’T WANT TO WEAR MASKS) but then after instilling the fear in us, you want us to drop our kids off with a smile? This world is a joke.”

-- Brittany

View more: School Confessionals

School confessionals: Share your thoughts, concerns about return to in-person learning

Michigan school districts, colleges and universities are working to prepare for a return to in-person classes this fall amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In-person classes were stopped in March when the virus swept through Michigan. On June 30, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer revealed her plan to help schools across the state return to in-person learning this fall. The “MI Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap” is a 63-page document that outlines coronavirus (COVID-19) safety protocols for each phase of Whitmer’s reopening plan.

The governor’s order requires each school district to adopt a COVID-19 plan that lays out how it will protect students and educators across the various phases of the Michigan Safe Start Plan. Whitmer’s roadmap is to be used as a guide.

This has everyone -- parents, teachers and students -- wondering whether this is a good idea, how well it can be accomplished, how safe everyone can be kept, and what exactly the best to do this will be.

Please share your thoughts and concerns about returning to in-person learning this fall -- we want to hear from you:

Related:

• Here’s what Michigan school districts have planned for the fall amid the pandemic
• A look at how Oakland University is preparing campus for fall return amid pandemic
• What the new school year will look like for Detroit public schools
• A look at how Eastern Michigan University is preparing campus for fall return amid pandemic
• Return to School section