Pandemic forces US schools to alternate virtual classes with face-to-face classes

Lack of staff, covid cases, concerns about mental health and professional burnout are some of the problems that have forced public schools in the United States to alternate between presence in classrooms with days off and virtual classes.

After a year of virtual activities and remote education due to the coronavirus, schools in the United States returned to face-to-face instruction in September 2021 for the new school year, thanks to the advance in vaccination and the decrease in cases.

However, the pandemic impacts in many ways.

Therefore, in Detroit (Northeast), the school district decided to implement virtual classes every Friday in December.

The district board made the announcement in November “after hearing and reflecting on the concerns of school leaders, teachers, academic staff, students and families about the need for mental health assistance, the increase in covid cases and time to better clean schools ”.

“Remote Fridays” were also adopted by the Canyons school district in Utah, in the northwestern part of the country. But in this city, the measure will be implemented one Friday per month.

“The objective of the remote Fridays is to support the teachers, who support the students. The teachers have stated higher levels of fatigue and wear due, in part, to causes related to the stress of the pandemic and the lack of personnel, ”said Canyons academic authorities.

In both districts, schools must provide food, tools for virtual education and make staff available for meetings, classes and consultations.

“A nationwide downsizing has made it difficult to hire academic staff and find substitutes to replace teachers who become ill or have to fulfill other training responsibilities,” the school district reported.

Lack of staff is also the reason why Seattle and two other school districts in Washington state, on the west coast, for suspend classes for a day mid November.

“Unfortunately this pandemic has impacted us all in so many ways,” said Kent (Northwest) School District Acting Superintendent Israel Vela.

The return to the classroom has also been marked by the debate on compulsory vaccination, which divides Americans.

Immunizers are widely available in the country and free of charge from 5 years of age. California was the first state to announce the requirement for both students and faculty and staff, leaving virtual education as a alternative for those who do not get vaccinated.

School districts in other states have come out in favor of similar measures.

Vaccination and other measures to prevent spread of coronavirus They generate debate in the United States, where only 60.4% of the population are fully vaccinated. (I)