Crowded Hallways

      This picture was all too true when I was growing up.

     When the subject of opening up schools is raised I have to admit I see the reasons why we have to do it. Children need to socialize with their peers, they need to be instructed in person, and they have to learn the difference between right and wrong. 

     I also look at this picture and see why we can't. Crowded hallways are a certainty, unless we create doors going outside for every classroom on every floor of a school.

     The scene below is repeated at least 10 times a day at a high school. A couple of minutes each time the bell rings to prompt students to got to their next class. It starts to add up when you figure the exposure in a single week. And when you are trying to contain the spread of an infectious disease like Covid-19, this is counter productive.

     When need a serious reset of expectations regarding when it will be safe for teachers and students to return to classrooms.

     When need a serious effort to provide Internet access to all students. The Internet is a utility just like water. We cannot live without it, let alone try to educate our young people. 

     These are huge changes I am proposing, but I don't see any other way. Until we have a vaccine for Covid-19 that a majority of people will take, it does not appear we have much choice other than to social distance. It would be much easier to provide Internet access. Fortunately, 5G speeds exist and would do a great service if everyone had access to equipment and the bandwidth. We have encountered problems like this before if you recall World War II. America was able to muster the resources and build the equipment we needed. Can we do it again?