We reside in a rural part of Oregon, and when Governor Kate Brown announced in late December that school districts would determine their own timelines for reopening, my partner and I knew our children’s small charter school would be eager to resume in-person classes as soon as possible. To be frank, this prospect weighed heavily on us. With my partner working as a gardening instructor and teaching assistant at the school, we were acutely aware that the administration was keen on returning students to classrooms, irrespective of the escalating COVID-19 rates. At that time, the state was witnessing alarming death tolls, with nearly 4,000 fatalities reported in a single day.
Unfortunately, this concerning trend has persisted, with COVID-19 cases surging throughout the U.S., including Oregon. Although vaccinations are being rolled out, the process is progressing slower than anticipated, and it may take months before we see any significant impact. There have been discussions about prioritizing educators in the next phase of vaccine distribution, but the timeline remains uncertain. Meanwhile, hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, a consequence of families being reckless during the holiday season. With over 350,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the U.S., it’s disheartening to see members of our community still clinging to the dangerous misconception that this virus is akin to the common flu. These harsh realities compelled my partner and me to deliberate deeply about sending our children back to school, especially since my partner is now at high risk for severe COVID-19 complications.
In the early days of the pandemic, she was not at such risk. While our two older children attended school remotely, she continued teaching in person, as our first grader was permitted to attend physically. It seemed safe at the time. I was managing my own work from home while overseeing our 11-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son during their Zoom classes. However, everything changed in late October when my partner was hospitalized due to a severe pneumonia that had escalated into septic shock. She was in the hospital for three weeks, spending three days in the ICU, and at one point, it felt like I might lose her. Thankfully, that was not the outcome.
Although she did not contract COVID-19 during her hospital stay, her doctor has since advised us to remain home, keep the children home, and minimize exposure due to her heightened vulnerability. Suddenly, we found ourselves one of those families for whom the COVID-19 restrictions were designed to protect. By the time she was released, our children’s school had switched to a fully remote format, including first grade. While it was chaotic having all five of us working and learning from home, I felt immense gratitude for our collective safety.
However, the situation evolved again, forcing my partner and me to make a tough choice. Should we disregard our doctor’s advice and send my partner back to work, along with our kids to school, risking a potentially life-threatening COVID-19 infection? Or should we keep the kids at home and adapt? As we grappled with this decision, we learned that many other families at our school were facing similar dilemmas. Some had elderly relatives living with them, while others were preparing for significant surgeries. Many teachers expressed apprehension about potential exposure and the risk of bringing the virus back to their households.
I genuinely want our children back in school and long to return to my office, yearning for a return to normalcy. As we approach March, we will have endured a year of this at-home lifestyle. Nonetheless, none of that is worth my partner’s life or the lives of others in our community. I believe that reopening our children’s school at this moment is unwise.
Despite my feelings, the school is moving forward with reopening. The only control I have is over my family, and we’ve decided to keep our children at home. The school will provide homework packets for our kids, and my partner will be managing grading and other online duties from home, which we appreciate, as we cannot afford to lose her income. I will continue working remotely, all while navigating this educational journey with minimal guidance from our children’s teachers. Yet, I am confident that this is the right choice.
I know many families in our community and across the country are making similar tough decisions. It’s a challenging position, one that should not exist in the first place. If you find yourself in this situation, you’re not alone; I stand with you.
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Summary:
The article discusses the difficult decision faced by a family in Oregon regarding whether to send their children back to school as the institution reopens amid the pandemic. With a high-risk family member, the parents ultimately decide to keep their children home, prioritizing safety over a return to normalcy. The narrative underscores the challenges many families encounter and emphasizes the importance of making informed choices that protect loved ones.
Keyphrase: Kids School Reopening Decision
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