Column: Reopening schools on Aug. 4 is a misguided rush to failure

It’s time for a frank conversation about families’ need for a safe place for children to stay during the day while parents are working and the role of public education in reopening Hawaii’s economy.

Reopening schools on Aug. 4 is a misguided rush to failure. Pandemic numbers haven’t improved since safety concerns closed schools in March, and our schools haven’t been given enough time and resources to prepare. We’re placing our community’s children and educators at great risk by asking them to return to classrooms with recirculated air and making masks optional.

Hawaii being the first in the nation to reopen schools shouldn’t be the priority. This won’t be a badge of honor; it’ll be a disaster. Our priority needs to be opening up a viable and equitable school system for every child in the state.

As a community, we would benefit from a broader conversation that brings in more stakeholders to help solve this statewide problem. Can other agencies — such as government agencies, businesses or nonprofits — help provide a safe place with internet access for our students? Can companies fill in the gaps for personal protective equipment (PPE), internet access, laptops, etc.?

We need a state-level policy conversation that puts the safety of our community first.

The Hawaii Department of Education (DOE) had the summer to plan prudently for reopening in a way that directly supports schools, but many critical questions around equity and access still remain unanswered. Recently, the top-down leadership gave principals a list of only three options for reopening, not including a 100% virtual option, with just two weeks to plan and no extra money to make it happen, despite the cost of additional infrastructure, cleaning supplies and PPE.

If we truly believe that the role of our public schools is education, then there are better ways to instruct students with online options that don’t compromise the safety of children and staff. It’s nearly impossible to make a room full of first-graders maintain a safe 6-foot distance, and teachers will surely spend a great deal of time policing kids to keep them apart.

What’s more, children spending a day at school without being allowed to interact normally with peers is not something state health officials are discussing.

Even by reopening, schools will not be meeting the critical need to supervise children daily, because most schools will blend in-person and distance learning when classes resume. Parents will still need child care three to four days a week. While some students are equipped to thrive via distance learning, others lack the most basic supplies. These disenfranchised children will be impacted the most.

There are many successful education models that don’t require students in a classroom. Principals and teachers should have the freedom to design school programs that fit their school best. The DOE should empower and support them, not abandon them.

Principals are working tirelessly with minimal guidance and few resources, and staff are working hard to safeguard children and educators while trying to provide a meaningful learning experience. Teachers are afraid of contributing to an outbreak while at school and of facing possible furloughs as an easy solution to state budget cuts.

We do not need to rush to failure! We need to urge lawmakers and the state Board of Education (BOE) to wait to reopen schools and face-to-face classes. Help by submitting written testimony online ahead of the next BOE meeting on Thursday (reference agenda item VI-D; testimonies are due by Wednesday noon).