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I know this may upset some of my followers, but I strongly believe schools need to reopen in the fall. They should still have the option of online instruction, but in person instruction needs to be available.
Here is why:
Here is why:
1) we do know at this point that children are disproportionately protected from severe morbidity and mortality. Not 100%, but nothing is.
2) we do know that children are suffering without school. Some home environments are toxic, and some are just unsuitable to home learning. Many children have working parents and can't be expected to just educate themselves alone. That's a virtually impossible task.
3) Children with stay at home mothers (yes almost all are moms) or wealthy parents who can afford tutors will continue to outperform their peers. This absolutely makes the already shameful gap between haves and have nots even worse.
4) Women (and this is where I am the angriest) are disproportionately affected by not having schools open. They ARE expected to leave their jobs if possible as part of the plan. Let's not underestimate the affect on women in the workforce. Not working removes power from women.
5) For those women who can't leave their jobs, they have to just hope their kids can manage alone at home. Working online, assuming online access is perfect, and not getting into trouble. This is an insane request of parents and children.
6) No one says schools are "babysitters" but our society IS based on schools being in loco parentis for over 100 years. The alternative recreates a society that is even more sexist than before!
7) This is really 4 part B. But I want to share how offended I am that people are so willing to have women leave the workforce. Like our jobs are not important. Like they are just hobbies. If a policy required men to leave their jobs, there would be massive outroar.
8) I want to address teacher safety. Of COURSE schools should open with safety measures in place. I love our teachers and want them safe. But no teacher is more deserving of safety than my medical assistants are, or our Costco workers, or our grocery store workers.
9) No one signed up for this. Even in medicine, we absolutely did NOT sign up for this, and outside of ICUs we are in the same paper masks as Costco workers dealing with dozens of pts a day. Everyone working is at risk. It's unfair that we can't all stay at home. But we can't.
And yes, everyone needs to wear a damn mask. Everyone. OVER YOUR NOSE.
