EDITORIAL: Feds should stay out of local decisions about whether to reopen schools

We have little doubt that students—particularly young students—will get a better education if they are back in school.

Many older students probably could handle distanced learning—if schools and teachers were well prepared to provide it. But we think even those students would be better off in a classroom.

And so we understand the spirit behind the Trump administration’s desire to get kids back in the classroom. Under normal circumstances, that’s exactly where most of them should be.

However, our circumstances are anything but normal. And the considerations about whether students should be in school are about far more than just whether it’s the best learning environment.

At issue is not just the health of the students but also the health of teachers, staff and the larger community—and the ability of many parents to get back into the workplace. Balancing the educational needs of students with the risks of in-person schooling is complicated—so complicated that smart, well-intended professionals in adjacent districts are coming to different conclusions about what’s best to do.

The decisions are dependent on the circumstances in each school and community, including such factors as the level of local virus spread, the availability of technology for students, the ability of school buildings to accommodate social distancing, and the general attitude of parents and teachers in the district.

The decision about whether to bring students back to school, teach them virtually or do some combination needs to be made locally—in consultation with regional and state public health officials, as well as the Indiana Department of Education.

It certainly should not be a federal decision.

And, therefore, we recommend that President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and congressional Republicans back off proposals to try to either financially motivate schools to bring students back for in-person learning or financially punish them for failing to do so.

Both ideas are fraught with problems—most notably that schools facing revenue shortfalls and higher costs for personal protective equipment and other pandemic-related expenses could be forced to choose between money and what’s best for kids.

Instead, the Trump administration should look for ways to help districts provide the best education possible to students in whatever format they ultimately choose. That could mean additional technology resources, access to appropriate PPE and science-backed data about the benefits and risks associated with in-person and remote learning in a pandemic environment.

There are schools in other parts of the world that have reopened. Let’s learn what we can from them and then let district officials make the best local decisions they can.

And federal officials need not worry about whether districts will be held accountable for their decisions. Parents can reach a superintendent and a school board with input a heck of a lot easier than they can reach the president.•

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