Could keeping students at home away from schools turn them into marshmallows? One local school board president believes it could.
At their recent regular meeting, Tamaqua Area School District board president Larry Wittig said keeping kids cooped up at home isn’t healthy.
According to the Times-News, Wittig said, “It just seems to me there’s an element out there that wants to scare everybody to death, so that everybody is paranoid about something.”
He adds, “If we want to be absolutely safe, stay at home, keep the doors locked, wear a mask. At some point, it’ll turn everyone into marshmallows.”
At this meeting, Wittig and other board members just heard how Tamaqua Area schools could re-open or not, in August.
He sounded convinced that the schools have plans to address safety and sanitation issues.
“It just seems to me that if we do the full return, there is a lot of safety measures in there,” Wittig said, according to the Times News report. Wittig seems to favor a full reopening because he believes a virtual, online education just isn’t the same as getting schooled in a classroom.
“We can not overreact on the cautious side,” he said.
Schuylkill County Schools Debate Reopening in August
School districts around Schuylkill County are currently planning what the upcoming 2020-2021 term will look like.
Will students go back to school as normal?
Is a hybrid option of some in-class and some virtual instruction a possibility?
Or will schools choose to instruct students completely online until they believe COVID-19 isn’t a threat to students and staff?
It seems no matter what schools choose, they’re going to hear some criticism.
Tamaqua Area school board meets Tuesday night, July 21, at 7:30.
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Zillie
July 21, 2020 at 5:55 pm
So true. Isn’t school considered essential? Have their temp checked, use masks and sanitary stations. You cannot hide from a virus. It is beyond ridiculous already. You can protest, work, grocery shop, etc., but you cannot watch a baseball game? What are the deciding factors in these decisions?
Canary Commenter
July 21, 2020 at 7:01 pm
People have been convinced that it’s government’s job to keep us “safe” from a virus. It’s probably because our clown show of a governor tells us he’s trying to keep us safe from the virus.
Jason Bourne
July 27, 2020 at 4:15 pm
Yeah, government is just supposed to sit there and twiddle their thumbs. That’s what has happened in red states such as Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Now there is an outbreak in these states. There should be a federal mask mandate for all states. This would all be over much sooner.
Canary Commenter
July 27, 2020 at 5:28 pm
Clueless.
Jason Bourne
July 27, 2020 at 5:46 pm
Clueless? Go drink bleach!
Canary Commenter
July 27, 2020 at 8:56 pm
The lemon kind finishes nicely.
Jason Bourne
July 27, 2020 at 9:11 pm
Explains you because you are a lemon. You’re lame af but funny as hell.
Canary Commenter
July 27, 2020 at 9:41 pm
A lot of fun at parties. Disagree on the lame part.
Jason Bourne
July 27, 2020 at 9:45 pm
Let’s just hope they’re not covid parties.
Frank
July 21, 2020 at 7:13 pm
Daycare is running just fine. My children haven’t died and none of the teachers have either. And everyone there appears happy. Amazing what some common sense can accomplish.