WCASD students with last names L-Z will go back to school on November 5th for a Hybrid Model, while those with A-K last names will return the following week. Returning to school will undoubtedly be a stressful experience for both students and staff. We collected data from students at East about their thoughts on returning to school. Student responses to returning fall on all ends of the spectrum―some are beyond thrilled, and some feel the exact opposite. One senior claimed that they were “scared for [their] safety,” and another said that they don’t think we should return to school at all because they “don’t really see how we can be completely safe in any school situation.”
Another senior explained, “I am looking forward to doing so when it’s safe. The thought of eating lunch indoors with a bunch of people maskless though makes me a little uneasy right now. Not sure November 5th is the right time with the news of the borough of West Chester.”
On the other hand, many students are extremely excited about returning and cannot wait to start the hybrid model. Not only do some students feel like they don’t learn efficiently at home, but also many just simply miss going to school. When asked how they felt about returning to school, one student said “Excited, but sad that I will be separated from half my grade”. Another stated, “I’m glad that I at least get part of my senior year in person even if it’s not the same.”
Answers also varied over whether students felt safe going back to the building, ranging from “Not at all” to “Absolutely.” One student claimed, “I understand the faculty and staff are working very hard but I don’t think it’s possible to safely go back,” while another said, “I think administration will do everything in their power to keep us safe.” However, a lot of students feel as if their safety falls in the hands of other students.
Many student responses indicated that they do not trust their fellow peers to do their part in social distancing and wearing masks. One junior said, “I don’t trust all students to social distance and wear masks all the time at all,” and another claimed, “I don’t feel as though I can completely trust many of my classmates to do their part in keeping people around them safe.”
Much of this distrust comes from the fact that students know that others don’t do their part to stay safe outside of school. One student said, “I really don’t trust that my peers have been safe throughout the pandemic,” and another stated, “When all of this first started and the cases were really bad, they [other students] were still hanging out with no precautions.” Another senior made the point that “students can still congregate outside around cars and socialize before and after school,” which can theoretically make all the safety precautions taken during the day at school pointless. A sophomore claims that “We’re really young, and I feel like that comes with a sort of recklessness and feeling of safety from the virus.”
On the other hand, one student makes the case that, “I think a lot of people actually have reasons that they care not to get the virus. I know all of the athletes are being extra careful because we don’t want our seasons canceled.”
The school district has never faced anything this challenging. We’re in uncharted territory. Administration is clearly taking the COVID-19 pandemic extremely seriously and wants everyone to remain safe. However, one has to take into consideration the feedback administration receives from students and parents that are eager to return. No one knows how to go about this school year, so we’ll just have to wait to see how it turns out.
** This data does not represent the opinions of WC East’s student’s as a whole.
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