We asked Chicagoans what they think of the Chicago Public Schools’ reopening plans calling for most students to return to the classroom two days a week this fall. Some answers have been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.
“Sending kids back to school will only get kids, teachers and school staff sick. Some may end up dead. Is opening the schools really that important?” —Rick Polson
“I’m on the fence. I want teachers and students to be safe, but I look at my daughter, and she’s struggling. She can’t grasp e-learning. She misses her special education, and she’s depressed without her friends.” — Jennifer Rose
“In our home, we would feel safer having them home vs. in-person. I worry about what other households do and what risks they take.” — Candis Spencer
“I’m all for it because these kids need social interaction, but there should be an option for all virtual if the parents want it. They need to provide Chromebooks for use at home, and why are high school juniors and seniors being excluded from in-person classes? That’s not right.” — Jennifer Schichner
“If my kids were still in CPS, I would pull them out and find an established home school network. I have family members who have children in elementary school, and I saw the students getting online for less than an hour, and then the rest of the day they were left to fend for themselves.” — Lajuana Murphy
“It makes no sense to me that, in high school, freshmen and sophomores will return but juniors and seniors won’t. If anyone is returning, the upperclassmen need to be first priority.” — Karen Lenee
“I think it’s good. The students need a certain amount of social interaction in conjunction with educational programming. I do hope that the health and safety precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will be enough.” — Chris Vaughn
“I’m for part-time if it’s done safely. Day-cares are open, so why not the schools?” — Patricia Newlin
“Since Chicago is seeing low new cases and deaths, limited exposure, as proposed may work as long as there is a plan B in case it doesn’t. Learning must not stop.” — Teresa Hernandez-Sanchez
“I miss my students, but I don’t think returning is worth risking the lives of staff, students and their families to reopen. Remote learning isn’t great, but it’s better than trying to keep kids masked and 6 feet apart in class. The 15-student pods are meaningless if kids hang out with each other outside school, which many of them do.” — Nadia Oehlsen
“If they don’t want people to sit in movie theaters for two hours, why would you want your children to sit in a classroom for eight hours?” —Charmaine Falk
“Not a plan at all. All schools should be 100% remote learning.” — Bessie Henry
“Safe way to start. See how it goes. Better than starting back totally and then have to shut down.” — Mary Jo Kish
“Schools should not open yet. It’s not safe for students or teachers, staff and bus drivers.” — Laura Coleman
“It worked in Germany in May and June. Small classes, social distancing and finally seeing their friends away from any screen.” — Danny Rahnefeld-Kratsch
“That seems like the perfect scenario: Two days with friends and teachers and then three days at home.” — Lisa N Joe Acevedo
“They will be safe on those two days but not on the other three? Doesn’t make sense.” — Sharon McGovern Placek
