Ann Arbor Times

As Michigan looks to reopen its public schools, experts are weighing in on the risks of going back to school or keeping children at home longer. 

Claire Smith, a resident of Ann Arbor who was a teacher from Florida’s St. Johns Classical Academy, explained why keeping schools closed until Election Day is a mistake. 

“I don't think schools being closed until Election Day is best for anyone right now,” Smith told the Ann Arbor Times. “Schools being closed is not best for teachers who live for their students and for seeing them grow and seeing their faces light up.”

Being away from school and teaching virtually can make it difficult for teachers to gauge how well students are grasping different concepts and can exacerbate the learning challenges of some children. 

“Even if children could learn well at home without the personal interaction with a teacher, they are missing out on a lot of social learning and growth and maturity that requires other children around them in order to take place," Smith said. "So even if students are learning their multiplication facts at home right now, they're not having those awkward interactions with each other,” Smith said.

These interactions, such as learning how to apologize to a friend, learning how to include a new student and learning how to respond correctly to a situation are all skills that are refined in real-time. 

While some skeptics of the COVID-19 pandemic have said that the seasonal flu is more dangerous for students than the coronavirus, Smith said that this information is not helpful unless schools are considering closing for the seasonal flu now. 

The extended closure of schools also means that there is more pressure being put on parents as well. 

“The parents feel like they are under a lot of pressure that they are not prepared for having trained for," Smith said. "And though they, of course, have a great interest and devotion to their children's education, they don't feel ready to take on that responsibility."  

At the end of the day, Smith said that most teachers love their students and want what is best for them, but returning to the classroom sooner, rather than later, maybe the best course of action. 

“I believe the majority of teachers in this country still love their students and will still be working their hardest to teach their students and help them grow in whatever ways they can. And not to mention setting teachers up for success takes resources also,” Smith said. “So if we want teachers to be successful right now, yes, their jobs will look very different. But they do need some resources to get off the ground.”