Many parts of the world are experimenting with lifting all or parts of the strict stay-at-home orders that we have all been living with. In France, this means that 1.5 million French children are returning to school and preschool. This is probably great for the kids, because they can see their friends, but the return still comes at a heavy cost: The children aren't actually allowed to play together.
Heartbreaking images of the new reality that many children are facing have started to emerge, and the photos are causing a fair bit of distress for both experts and parents. In the images, children are shown playing alone in chalk boxes outside, sitting in classrooms with desks spaced far apart, and sitting outside on yellow hand-drawn X's. The goal is to reduce the spread of the ongoing virus and to help maintain social distancing practices, but social distancing and preschoolers may not mix well.
French reporter Lionel Top has described the images as "very strange, even disturbing."
Lionel went on to explain that even though the images might be emotionally distressing, the kids seemed to be adapting well. "They laughed and played together but from far away. The pupils did not see it like a punishment."
In fact, Lionel says that, so far, the measures are much harder for the adults who care for the children. And based on the responses he's received on Twitter, it seems like it's also much harder for adults, period.
Historian Laurence De Cock wrote, "I can’t get over this. This image is heartbreaking. We can’t call this ‘school.’"
Another person added a sentiment that many have expressed in recent weeks: "children will be more traumatized to resume in these conditions then to stay home."
The playground isn't the only spot where children are adjusting to a new normal.
Today writes, "Children in the Normandy town of Val-de-Reuil are also adjusting to a new way of life, which includes lunch in class, staggered recess and temperature checks. They are also required to wear a protective visor, according to the Val-de-Reuil Twitter account."
Here in the United States, the return to school is happening at a much slower pace. So far, 40 states have canceled in-person classes for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. However, that doesn't mean that parents, teachers, and authorities aren't anxious for kids to return to the classroom.
Returning safely is at the top of everyone's mind, and it seems that this decision will vary by state. Today explains, "States will make their own decisions about whether schools will return for the rest of the academic year, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issuing guidelines about how that might be possible. Even as some areas consider re-opening parts of their economies or returning to everyday life, schools remain shut and students are expected to continue learning online."
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has been suggesting that schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year, and he recently said, "This is a public health decision — and not an easy one. But it's the right one. The social distancing strategies have been working, and we cannot risk a resurgence of the virus."
Many parents and educators have accepted that school as we all knew it is finished for this year and are looking ahead to figure out what to expect in the fall of 2020. Right now, it's tough to know what might happen.
California's Governor Gavin Newsom has also commented on school closures, saying that he understands there are many things to consider. "We need to get our kids back to school, we need to get our kids educated, and we need to deal with kids' mental health and that of their parents."
But he echoed the thought that safety has to be the priority. "But we need to do it in a safe way, so that kids are not going to school, getting infected, and coming back home and infecting Grandma and Grandpa. So we have to be very, very vigilant in that respect."
Current suggestions and guidelines for reopening schools come with a hefty list of requirements, including spacing desks 6 feet apart, limiting access to the lunchroom and the school playground, spacing children safely on buses, and frequently deep-cleaning classrooms and school spaces. What is unknown is how feasible these guidelines are, and if every school system will have the means and ability to adhere to them.
