Reopening schools is an issue parents and community leaders are grappling with across the country. Here in the Sunshine State, Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken a firm stance, advocating for moms and dads to have the option of sending their kids back to school. After receiving that text from my daughter and doing my own homework on the virus — rather than blindly listening to the media hype — I want her back in the classroom come the first day of instruction.
Yes, COVID-19 should be taken seriously and does warrant taking precautions…But while the virus is not the common cold, it’s not the bubonic plague either. The CDC estimates the overall fatality rate for Americans displaying COVID-19 symptoms to be 0.26 percent — only a small fraction of a percentage point higher than the seasonal flu.
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The available science suggests reopening schools can be navigated safely, and the adverse consequences of leaving children at home are undeniable. These are tough choices for any parent, but I’ve decided for our family that the benefits of in-school learning outweigh the risks. Both parents and kids need to start living again.
Read the full op-ed in the Florida Sun-Sentinel by Elaine Parker, President of the Job Creators Network Foundation.