Editorial: Back to School

Back to school is just weeks away and the anxiety is mounting.

ABOUT SENDING THEIR KIDS BACKAND WORRIED ABOUT THEIR JOBS IFTHEY DON'T GO BACK.TEACHERS ARE WORRIED ABOUTGETTING SICK.AND STATE LEADERS ARE WORRIEDABOUT MISSINGDEADLINES AND LOSING FEDERALFUNDING.ONE THING IS CERTAIN.

THE RETURNTO SCHOOLISN'T AN EASY DECISION FORANYONE.

THERE IS NO EASY ANSWER.AND AN INCREDIBLE RISK ANDPOTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES LIE AHEADNO MATTER WHAT WE CHOOSE.

THISMAY BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANTDECISIONMANY WILL MAKE SINCE THEPANDEMIC STARTED.AND THAT'S WHY IT'S MOREIMPORTANT THANEVER THAT WE HAVE THE FACTS,DISCARD THECONSPIRACY THEORIES ANDMISINFORMATION,AND FOCUS ON MAKING INFORMEDDECISIONS.AS PARENTS, WE CAN'T CONTROLWHEN SCHOOLSTARTS.

BUT WE CAN DECIDE WHAT'SBEST FOR OUR FAMILIES, WHETHERIT'S RETURNING TOSCHOOL, DISTANCE LEARNING, ACOMBINATION OF THE TWO, ORHOMESCHOOLING.WHAT WE DON'T NEED ARE PEOPLECASTINGJUDGMENT ON FAMILIES FOR THEIRINDIVIDUAL DECISIONS.

WHATEVER APARENT DECIDES, IT WILLHAVE BEEN A DIFFICULT DECISION.THIS SCHOOL YEAR WILL BE UNLIKEANY WE'VE EVER HAD.

THERE WILLBE CHALLENGES WEHAVEN'T EVEN IMAGINED , MUCHLESS PREPAREDFOR.

AND THE ONLY WAY WE'LL GETTHROUGH THISIS BY SUPPORTING EACH OTHER,LOOKING OUTFOR OUR NEIGHBORS, ANDDEMONSTRATING TOOUR KIDS BY OUR EXAMPLE THEIMPORTANCE OF WEARING A MASK.