Get involved in next school year, now

Due to the coronavirus, there are a lot of questions on what school will look like next fall.

On social media, a number of memes suggest public schools will be very different. They often cite new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.

There’s no doubt public education will be very different in the fall.

But at this point, the center’s guidelines are only guidelines. As such, there is no force of law behind them.

What are some of the things the CDC is pushing? Rather than accept memes as gospel, I went to the government agency’s website.

Among other items, here are some of the recommendations:

• Sharing of supplies and other items will be curtailed, unless the items can be disinfected between use by different students.

• Classroom doors and windows will remain open, when possible, to improve circulation of fresh air.

• Students will be “encouraged” to bring their own water as fountain use may be discontinued if possible.

• Desks will be spaced 6 feet apart, with all students facing the front of the classroom at all grade levels. (That was normal until just a few years ago.)

• School lunches could be served at a student’s desk, rather than a common area. Lunches would be boxed or brought from home — no cafeteria-style meals.

• Field trips, pep rallies and other activities could all be digital.

• Sporting events, graduations and other large-scale events could be limited-access. Only students, immediate family members and the immediate community would be allowed to attend.

• Bus seating could be limited to a single student, possibly with vacant rows between them.

The list goes on ... partitions between sinks, desks, little-to-no rotation of classrooms or teachers, etc.

Many come with a hefty pricetag — higher taxes, possible year-round or evening school, and other unforeseen ramifications necessary to accommodate implementation.

So far, they are all just recommendations.

If you don’t want those and other guidelines to be the norm in your child’s school, it’s time to get involved. Participate in school board meetings. Reach out to school directors and superintendents.

Let them know what you want for your child.

Failure to do so may mean unacceptable outcomes for your child and your pocketbook.

— Roger Harnack is the Free Press Publishing publisher. Email him at Roger@cheneyfreepress.com.