Back To School 2020: A Parent’s Difficult Decision During COVID-19

The hecticness of back to school shopping and checking off every item on the teacher’s supply list has typically been the biggest stressors of a new school year, but 2020 and COVID-19 has something new in store for parents.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, which has lasted much longer than initially expected, school districts are faced with a difficult situation. They have been busy trying to decide if it’s safe to have children go back to school or if online classes are still the solution. Both choices offer challenges for schools, educators, students and parents. Some districts have made one decision, while others have offered a blended solution, allowing parents to make the decision that is best for their family and child. 

Sounds pretty easy, right? Wrong!

Having options is always nice, but as a parent who wants the very best for their child, the answer about what to do is far from an easy one for many. Somewhere in the midst of uncertainty, some people believe one of the two options is the best and the comments said leave parents wondering if their decision makes them a “bad parent.”  There are critics and supporters on both sides of this debate. What we do know is that this decision has created anxiety in parents. This is the epitome of being stuck between a rock and a hard place. 

We know it’s not an easy decision for you to make, so we are sharing some guidelines from the Center of Disease Control that we hope will help you with your decision.

What to consider when sending your child to school or e-learn from home.

1. Is your child at an increased risk for COVID-19? We are still learning a lot about the virus but what we do know is that children with intellectual and developmental disabilities have an increased risk for severe illness. 

2. Is someone in your home or a caregiver at an increased risk for COVID-19? Adults with underlying conditions are at an increased risk for severe illness.

3. Is the level of spread of the virus high in your community? 

4. What is your school’s plan to reduce the risk of spreading the virus? How will they implement social distancing? Hand-washing? Will the students be required to wear a mask? If so, when will it be required and when will it not be? Do they allow kids to carry a water bottle or do they have to drink from a water fountain?

5. How will your school maintain healthy environments and operations?  How will they keep the school clean? How many students will be in the classroom or on the bus? How is the classroom ventilated?

6. How will your school handle a sick child or school staff member? 

7. What’s the school’s transparency with COVID-19?

The decision on whether to send your child to school or to keep them at home is not an easy decision. It’s a decision that each parent will have to make on their own based on their personal situation. There is no right or wrong answer. The CDC has provided a worksheet that you can download to help with this difficult decision. You can download it here. 

Whichever decision you make for your child, it’s important to keep in mind that someone else may be making the opposite decision based on their family needs. As parents, we all want the best for our children and it’s during this uncertain time that we understand and respect differences. We are all in this together and it’s up to us, as adults, to make this as easy as possible for our children.