Across the United States, cases of COVID-19 continue to proliferate and the start of the new school year is just around the corner.
Students, teachers and parents have started planning the return but what school should now look like has become a contentious – and politicised – issue.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued a statement in favour of bringing children back to the classroom this Autumn if it can be done safely.
“Science and community circumstances must guide decision-making and funding is critical,” it said.
The Centers for Disease Control has also published a document outlining health protocols that should be followed.
But many teachers say this is not enough. Their representative organisations have said schools may remain closed if funding is not made available to pay for appropriate safety precautions.
With just four months until a presidential election, US President Donald Trump is pushing hard for life to return to normal. But education policy in the US is not set by the federal government. It is a state issue.
Global data suggests that children are far less likely to become seriously ill from the coronavirus than adults. But there are unanswered questions, including how often children become infected and what role they play in transmitting the virus. Given that, several experts advise caution.
In this episode of The Stream, we take a look at both sides of the debate and ask a panel of experts whether compromises can be made to ensure American children have access to the best education possible.
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