Not only can e-learning create a "digital divide" and disadvantage students from resource-constrained schools or households, but it may also not be a viable alternative to face-to-face instruction for younger children who are still acquiring hand-eye coordination for writing. 

Drawbacks of E-Learning as Compared to In-Person Education

From ages 2-10, children have an active social life at school which helps them develop personality traits and sense of identity, and disruptions of close peer relationships have been associated with depression, guilt, and anger. In quarantine, children have shown an increased risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, grief, and adjustment disorder. Moreover, by spending long periods of time in households where parents suffer from mental health issues or economic hardship, children may become victims of domestic violence.



Re-opening Schools For Fall 2020 as a Means to Improve Children's Mental Health

Globally, only 51% of families with children have access to the internet.  This poses a major challenge to online learning efforts.  Inequality will be further perpetuated if those who can afford and access internet technology and infrastructure are able to obtain the United Nations designated right to a free education.  

In the United States, 40% of homes have school-aged children, and in more than 90% of these households, at least 1 parent is employed outside the home. School closure amplifies economic disparity by forcing parents to deal with child care, which can be costly or time-consuming. Students of Title 1 schools may face more socioeconomic disparity if they do not receive services during quarantine.  These trends also exist beyond the US, if anything amplified in developing economies.


Re-opening Schools For Fall 2020 to Fight Inequality

- Improves children's mental health

- Reduces economic disparity

- In-person education is more effective than e-learning

Syracuse University

In an urgent attempt to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2, K-12 schools across the U.S. have swiftly shut down and remained closed for approximately 2 months. As many countries have entered or are planning to enter a gradual reopening phase, clinical studies have found that children mainly have low transmission rates as well as asymptomatic to mild disease. As such, policymakers, healthcare systems, and educational institutions are considering reopening schools for fall 2020.



UPDATE: As of September 1, 2020, New York City schools are reopening September 16th with the first week being remote then after that there will be cohorts. Students get to choose if they want to be fully remote or in-person (hybrid). Students can go to remote learning anytime they choose if they do not feel comfortable being in the classroom once they are in. But, they are unable to go back into the classrooms once they are out. 

Re-opening Schools for Fall 2020 During COVID-19 Pandemic

Benefits to Re-opening Schools During Fall 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic

- Create the conditions for a successful reopening

- Social distancing through reallocation of spaces

- Division of classes into smaller groups of children

- Promotion of frequent and proper hand washing

- Ventilation of rooms

- Maximization of time spent outdoors

- Avoidance of shared materials

- Sanitation of spaces, furniture and toys

- Prompt identification of cases in the school environment and their tracing

- Large-scale viral nucleic acid and serologic testing

- Maintenance of safe physical education classes, structured recess, and after-school activities (such as safe athletics) 

- Listening to the concerns of families and teachers 

- Adapted curricula and teaching strategies to accommodate hybrids of in-person and remote learning

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model, the School Health Index model, and The American Academy of Pediatrics' considerations for re-opening may provide additional insight.

Safety Measures for Re-opening Schools

- Past school closures and their impacts 
- Downsides of school closures 
- Important aspects to consider in closing or reopening schools during a pandemic

Important takeaways of school closures from past influenza pandemics 

- How best to care for children with respiratory disease and multi-system inflammatory syndrome from COVID-19,
- The extent of transmission in school settings, 
- The relationship between school shutdowns on community spread, 
- The value of specific educational designs and interventions for disease transmission and learning. 
- Effects of remote learning programs
- Whether antibody levels are associated with immunity from further infection
- Return of children with chronic conditions
- Effects of school closure on children with special needs

Critical Questions for Reopening Schools

As research shows that younger children (likely 10 years and younger) have lower transmission rates of COVID-19, studies have also shown that a higher rate of transmission is seen among students aged 14-19 years old, which could have implications when considering the reopening of high schools, colleges, and universities. 

Comparison of Transmission Rates Based on Age Groups of Students

- Australia

- Denmark

- Japan

- England

- Israel

- Hong Kong  

- Mainland China

- Taiwan

- UK

Outcomes of School Closures & Subsequent Re-opening/ Maintaining Open Schools by Country

Due to the novelty of COVID-19, many researchers have applied influenza pandemic preparedness plans of school closures to SARS-CoV-2 transmission prevention. In this study, the authors evaluate the impact of the COVID-19-related school closures on influenza A infection in Qatar. The study assesses the presence of respiratory viruses from nasopharyngeal swabs collected from Sidra Medicine, the main pediatric referral center in Qatar, before and after the first school closure on March 10.

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