The current deadly pandemic has put the world on pause. Going out into the public now requires you to sanitize, wear masks, keep your six feet distance, and to take many other precautions which have kept us from interacting and socializing with others. 

The talk about reopening schools is a very harmful idea. Reopening schools has a very high possibility of increasing the coronavirus cases due to the interaction of students with other students and teachers. Ever since the pandemic, schools have been debating and struggling whether they should continue with online learning or start the hybrid learning method. It is vital to take into consideration the impact reopening schools will have on the students, teachers and staff if schools do reopen.

As a student myself, I believe that it is absurd to reopen schools. Although online learning may be overwhelming and stressful, if we all stay at home it will help with the decrease of coronavirus cases. Many schools that have fully returned, or reopened for hybrid learning, have identified many coronavirus cases due to the opening of school. Reports had previously shown that 97,000 students had been affected by the virus after some schools in the U.S. reopened.

Some believe that reopening schools will help students with their learning skills, which is true, but we also have to take into consideration the risks schools will take by reopening. By reopening, schools will not be the same compared to how it used to be. Students will have to be six feet apart from each other with their desks far away, they will need to get their temperature checked every day, and they may not come into contact with others. This forces students to not interact with others and stay away from their peers and teachers for the six-hour class time. This creates their own bubble in which they cannot step out of, which does not allow them to enjoy their school time. 

I agree that students are struggling with social, emotional and behavioral health, and this is because of online learning and staying home all day. But by reopening now, while Covid-19 cases are rising, we all need to understand that it will cause the cases to continuously rise, which will make it more difficult for schools to reopen sooner in the future. 

There are many negative impacts of sending students back to school, because they are going to be around other students as well, which may cause the virus to spread easily. 

Reopening schools is not only harmful towards students, but it is also harmful towards society as a whole. We all should remain safely in our homes to help lower the virus cases and to try our best to stay calm in these difficult times, so we can see an end to this very soon. Social distancing and following the health guideline rules will allow us to speed the process of ending this virus, and hopefully have the possibility of fully reopening schools again.