Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

The controversy rages on how to start school. Some schools are virtual learning only; some favor face-to-face as if things were normal, and some favor a combination of normal contact with masks and distancing. I favor the choice of virtual learning only with no face-to-face contact.

I lean that way for several reasons. Number one is I have not heard of any kid who died of lack of socialization but I have of COVID 19. Lack of normal contact does cause mental and physician issues with children, but no fatal ones. Kids' brains won't shrivel up and disappear because they miss another six months of regular school activity. Their whole education won't go up in smoke because they miss several months of regular school. Of far more importance is life or death. I would much rather have a healthy child at home than one who is sick or dead. Starting school is not worth the death of one child or teacher.

When it comes to teachers and normal physical contact with students, teachers are in more harm's way than kids. They are more likely to become ill or even dead from catching the disease. So let's protect our kids and our educators and wait until a vaccine comes out to protect us all.

Ron Merritt