The social, emotional and academic effects of online learning can outweigh the risks of the virus

WEST PARK, Fla. – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has collected data from schools that are already doing personal learning showing that COVID transmission is not significant in classrooms. The recently published report says that the type of rapid spread observed in residential spaces for the elderly and in very dense workplaces was not present in the school.

CDC researchers published their opinion Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Data accumulation was collected from international schools as well as schools in the United States.

However, they warned that there is evidence that online and home learning affects children socially, emotionally and academically.

“The reason we pressed to open schools is that having children in person is better for children,” said Ron DeSantis, Florida’s governor.

Broward and Miami Dade superintendents have been saying this for weeks.

“Our schools are not sources of pandemics,” said Broward County Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie.

And the superintendent of public schools in Miami-Dade County, Alberto Carvalho, said: “We know who is losing ground. And there are some kids who have to go back to school. ”

Both called for thousands of children, especially those lagging behind academically, to be brought back to personal learning.

Lavonda Clark, who was taking her nephew from school, said, “When the kids are home, they’re not paying attention.”

Reynaldo Hubbard was waiting for his grandchildren. “They have a better grade when they’re at school,” he said.

But the CDC warns that proper procedures should be continued, including wearing a mask, physical distance, better room ventilation and extensive testing.

Communities must also control the virus so that it stays out of the classroom.

Karla Hernandez-Mats, president of the Miami-Dade County Teachers’ Union, said “schools are a reflection of the community.”

Teachers’ unions in both counties agree that personal learning is the best option for students, but worry about school safety and community behavior.

Unless our community is willing to do what it should be doing, we will continue to see the spread and that makes us nervous, ”said Hernandez-Mats.

President Joe Biden has pledged to open more schools in the first 100 days of administration, but warns it will be costly for the country – $ 130 billion is needed for schools to open safely.