School confessional: ‘No way to return to normal because it doesn’t follow logic’

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 this debate is already dead in the water. How can we possibly resume school in this pandemic? Do we not know there are still very active spreading hotspots all throughout our communities? There’s no way to return to normal or ‘the new normal’ because it doesn’t follow logic. We don’t want fans in the stands at professional sporting events, but we want to have 25+ kids in a class with no way of keeping them socially distant without building new schools or running them like a prison? I’m getting frustrated with people in their little boxes just blatantly ignoring the fact that the US is beyond containment and mitigation or have conspiracy theories spewing out of them as if they’re ‘in the know’ and the rest of us are too stupid to get it. We’re simply just trying to keep people alive and the economy from falling out beneath our feet. Time to accept this situation and get to work to make sure this online learning experience for this year is robust and engaging.”

-- Anonymous

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