The Case for Reopening Schools

In addition to the new challenges it presents, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has exacerbated a range of pre-existing social problems. While these issues affect everyone to a degree, and some groups significantly more than others, one key demographic is often left out of the conversation: children.

Children’s role in spreading the virus is still relatively unknown. Early evidence suggests they can contract and spread the virus, but their symptoms and spreading potential are often much less severe than those of adults. While coronavirus may not pose as much of a direct threat to children, they face real physical, psychological, and emotional concerns as a result of the pandemic.

Although the COVID-19 crisis is far from over, states across the U.S. are in various stages of re-opening their economies, due to the enormous economic challenges of extended shutdowns. On May 13, pediatrician Dr. Dimitri Christakis published an article in JAMA Pediatrics calling for the prioritization of reopening schools. With this publication, Dr. Christakis joined an increasing number of experts suggesting that the emotional and developmental risks of lengthy school closures for kids need to be better balanced with the risk of spreading coronavirus.

Mental Health Symptoms

While nearly everyone realizes that the pandemic and its associated shutdowns associated are causing significant mental health challenges, it would be a mistake not to recognize the unique symptoms children face.

NPR reported that mental health issues are on the rise even among very young children, the symptoms of which include tantrums, nightmares, and suicidal thoughts. For healthy social-emotional development, young children need real-life, synchronous social interaction with other children. And their growth and development can’t just be paused indefinitely.

Before COVID, American children were already being subjected to higher levels of parental anxiety and helicopter parenting than any previous generation. With concept creep already expanding the meaning of “safety” in the minds of children, college students, and parents, the pursuit of safety as an ultimate good now threatens to completely overtake society in the time of coronavirus. This could have enormous ramifications on mental health, particularly children’s mental health, for years to come.

“COVID-19 Slide”

With schools closed for the better part of the spring semester and the innate challenges of remote learning for elementary-aged children, it’s no surprise that learning loss will occur. The well-documented “summer slide” happens every year.

But early research based on this phenomenon projects that the “COVID-19 slide” will be much worse and will disproportionately affect lower-income children, whose parents may not have the time or resources to help their kids with online education to the extent needed for actual learning to occur.

It projects that during the 2019-2020 school year, elementary and middle school students will have made, on average, one-third less progress in reading and half as much progress in math as in a typical school year. These losses are expected to continue and compound should distance learning continue into the next school year.

Illuminated Social Disparities

As Dr. Christakis asserted in his article, the problems presented by school closures are not equal-opportunity. On the contrary, they affect some students more severely. And like many of the other COVID-related complications, these divisions tend to be among race and class lines. For children, particularly in the area of education, those with special needs are also disproportionately affected.

Studies have shown that being exposed to a serious natural disaster and its fallout as a child can have significant emotional and mental effects, even years later. This is especially true for those who are poor, racial minorities, or special needs learners.

With these already vulnerable groups being among the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, it stands to reason that the effects on their children will be similar to previously observed trends. Many more of these kids will likely have to grieve lost loved ones and/or parents’ lost incomes, a reality that threatens to further increase economic and social disparity for a long time to come.

Cruciality of Reopening Schools

In March, when the pandemic was just beginning, lawmakers across the United States decided that closing schools was the responsible, prudent thing to do. Nearly all public school districts closed, initially for two to four weeks, then for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year. As in many other areas of society, the closures are continuing beyond what was initially expected and presenting additional problems.

With schools closed and children out of the watch of mandatory reporters like teachers (not to mention the stay-at-home orders still active in some places), the conditions for child abuse are just right. Data from around the world suggest that domestic abuse of all kinds, including child abuse, has skyrocketed during the lockdowns.

In addition to safety and mental health benefits for children, reopening schools would also allow the economy to open more equitably. For parents whose jobs do not allow the privilege of remote work, schools need to open in order for a return to work to truly be feasible.

Inclusive Social Fabric and Community Resources

While the prospect of opening schools safely poses logistical and legal challenges for school districts across the country, it’s crucial that we do so. Children cannot afford to wait indefinitely for the structure, education, and opportunities for growth that school provides. For the sake of their mental health, as well as the potential systemic social implications of continued closures, schools must be reopened.

No one knows exactly how to reopen schools during this pandemic, and there will certainly be disagreement. But this challenge also presents an opportunity for communities to come together and develop local solutions that are inclusive and supportive for the students who will likely be facing long-term emotional or economic effects of the pandemic. And we do not have the luxury of time; these decisions and systems must be made as quickly as possible using the most recent data.

As Dr. Christakis stated in closing in his JAMA article, “We owe this to our children. Years from now, when they reflect on the pandemic, they will hold us accountable.”