Kelley Sussman
Executive Opinion Editor
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) has been fully online since March 10. There has been discussion of returning to school within MBUSD and the parent community, but a specific date as to when students can return has not been put in place. However, according to ABC news, nearly 40% of Orange County schools are back to some type of in-person socially distance learning.
Ten out of 27 school districts in Orange County returned to school in early Oct., whether it is full time or a hybrid model. As of right now, there are no plans for the secondary schools in MBUSD to return back to school this semester, however. If Orange County schools are going back to school, Los Angeles County schools should be allowed to return as well.
Orange County has set several precautions in place to ensure the safety of students and staff. Many districts, including the Irvine School District (ISD) in Orange County, have purchased plexiglass for all of their students and teachers, which reduces the spread of germs from person to person, according to ABC News. Face masks are mandatory for third grade and up in Orange County schools. Students in lower grades have the choice of either wearing a face mask or a face shield. The Orange County Unified School District has also implemented a staggered start, meaning they are staggering grade levels and arrival/dismissal times to guarantee proper social distancing and prevent the spread of the virus.
According to Dr. Clayton Chau, the director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, there were no outbreaks in any of the schools in Orange County, including the schools that opened in August. There have been two positive COVID-19 student cases reported in the ISD, and the district placed those students under quarantine. If there continues to be no large outbreaks, other schools, including schools within Los Angeles County, should allow students to return to school with the proper safety precautions put in place.
Recently, Costa athletes were allowed to return to campus after submitting a negative test result, agreeing to wear a mask at all times and submitting waivers acknowledging there is a risk of contracting COVID-19 at practice. Student athletes were then able to practice in-person if they felt comfortable doing so. Some sports, such as beach volleyball and water polo, returned to in-person practice in mid-October. Athletes and coaches have been practicing social distancing and wearing masks at all times. If students and teachers continue this practice while attending school, the spread of COVID-19 would be minimal or non-existent. MBUSD should consider returning back to school because Orange County schools have already done so with very few COVID-19 outbreaks.
One of the most important things about returning to school is making sure that everyone is self-reporting, meaning if a student were to test positive for COVID-19, they would have to self-report that to the school, according to Dr. Chau. The school would then be able to either shut down completely or proceed with more caution. Outbreaks in schools are inevitable, but they can be minimal, especially with the rules and regulations that would be put into place, such as wearing masks and social distancing, according to Dr. Chau.
Even if MBUSD were to return back to school, students only have to if they feel comfortable doing so. For those who want to return to school, they can return with safety precautions. For those who would rather continue with online learning, they will be able to. Life will not return
back to how it was before the COVID-19 pandemic, but returning back to school would be a step in the right direction for both students and MBUSD teachers.
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