I was hoping for innovation, an exciting hybrid model to safely reopen schools, combining outside classrooms with remote learning. While I have been on board with how Governor Newsom has handled the epidemic, I am crushed about his mandate calling for our children to continue with 100 percent remote learning this fall until Santa Barbara County is off the COVID-19 monitoring list.
But this is the reality, so let’s act and crush it!
A county is flagged for elevated disease transmission criteria if:
(1) Case rate (per 100,000) >100
or
2) Case rate (per 100,000) >25 AND testing positivity > 8%
Sadly, concern for the elderly and those with preexisting conditions hasn’t been enough to incentivize our community to implement safety practices, particularly avoiding social activities indoors and in larger numbers than recommended. This is the most common method for viral transmission in our community.
If we want to feel safe and wish for our children to benefit from the motivation, energy, and number of hours of instruction provided by in-person teaching, it behooves us to do the work, follow the safety protocols of which we have been made aware for months, and social distance. We are infinitely fortunate to live in a beautiful city with ample outdoor spaces to safely entertain ourselves. There is no excuse to do otherwise. Our children deserve better.