As one of his first actions in office, President Joe Biden has announced that he plans to reopen schools as soon as possible, signing an executive order to do so. He hopes to have most schools open within 100 days, but many are skeptical. With COVID-19 still raging, many teachers are concerned about their safety if they are unable to get a vaccine.
In regard to Biden’s ambition to open within 100 days, Kenzo Shibata a high school English teacher and official with the Chicago Teachers Union has said that, “I think that’s arbitrary and a political statement, it doesn’t inspire a lot of faith in me.” Shibata, like many teachers, wants to return to the classroom only after he has been vaccinated. And, while Dr. Anthony Fauci himself has said that, “If you really want to get society back to some form of normality, one of the first things we have to do is to get the children back in school,” both Fauci and Shibata agree that this is only likely to happen in the fall.
Still, the Biden administration’s 200-page plan is a significant improvement upon the existing one or lack thereof. During the Trump administration, schools’ teaching methods varied significantly, as guidelines for limiting the spread of COVID were left largely up to cities, districts, and states.
While the plan offers newfound guidance on a nationwide plan to reopen schools, skepticism has arisen on whether or not vaccines will be available for teachers. Biden’s plan for reopening schools so soon is ambitious and encouraging for many, but without the proper protective measures, some fear it could do more harm than good.
