Do you feel lucky now... about sending your kids back to school?

On May 13, the White House occupant called for re-opening schools as soon as possible.

President Donald Trump urged schools across the nation to reopen “as soon as possible” even as the coronavirus continues to spread, saying infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci’s ongoing calls for caution were “not an acceptable answer.”

That evening, the Arizona Eagletarian put up a post that included a couple of video clips illustrating the salient point, with Dirty Harry asking "Do ya feel lucky, punk?"

Yet, the issue of wearing masks in public has become heavily politicized. Even essential workers, in medical centers and grocery stores for example, though most are "required" to wear masks for protecting the public, don't. Refusing to cover one's nose with the mask renders the mask meaningless. It's like pretending to wear one but not really. In other words, a lot of people DO feel lucky.

DON'T: Wear your mask only on the tip of your nose, or leave your nose exposed

Except for one pesky detail. There, in several highly populated states, including defiantly minded states like Arizona and Texas, the "curve" had at that time not flattened. Trump could not care less about the health risk to Americans. He just wanted the economy to re-open. His mendacious rhetoric clearly was designed to fool the people into believing they'd be fine. And in large measure, it worked... Arizona's governor, Doug Ducey, took the bait. He's got Trump's great big hook firmly fixed inside his cheek.

There's not been any DATA indicating that Arizona is seeing any fewer Covid19 infections. There's been an uptick in testing. I've been tested twice in recent weeks showing that I've not been infected. Thankfully. Yet, hospital organizations in our state have been reporting that they're increasingly stressed. What does Arizona's curve look like now?

Scary.

Before that situation came to light, on June 2, the Arizona Republic reported on the possibility of re-opening schools.

The state guidance is the product of a task force Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman convened. More than 100 people participated, according to the document. Many of the participants work for the state's public district and charter schools.

The suggestions include requiring students and staff to wear masks, when possible; lowering class sizes; daily temperature checks; and contact tracing to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

But the document offers no guidance on how district and charter schools should do these things while already faced with some of the largest class sizes in the nation, a statewide teacher shortage, and an ongoing battle over adequate school funding.

And, they're a moving target. The guidelines could change as the pandemic and infection numbers evolve.

But just try to get those same people to gamble with the lives of their children. What do you think their response will be?

Yeah, that was the question I was asking myself weeks before AzCentral published this story.




May I suggest a CALL to ACTION?

Call your school district administration office (find the phone number here) and give them your thoughts. Assertively, but politely, of course.