VICTOR JOECKS: CCSD’s reopening plan deserves approval

There’s finally a plan to put kids back in the classroom.

On Monday night, the Clark County School District released its plan to reopen. On Dec. 1, teachers must report to their schools instead of having the option to telecommute. Starting in January, students will be able to attend class two days a week under a hybrid of in-person and distance learning. If families prefer distance learning, they may continue that full time.

Calling this plan cautious is an understatement. It may still face substantial opposition. Some trustees were previously reluctant to reopen. That was understandable in March when so much about the coronavirus was unknown. But it’s not justified in November.

Seven months of data show the risk coronavirus poses to children is exceedingly small, even as cases rise. In Nevada, one child under 10 has died from the disease. Three people ages 10 to 19 have died.

Those deaths are tragic, but they must be put in context. The coronavirus is less deadly to children than either pneumonia or the flu, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet it would have been absurd to call for the closure of school buildings to stop the seasonal flu.

Coronavirus isn’t the only factor affecting student health either. The district reported that there has been an “increased student suicide rate” this year. During the first month of this school year, three Clark County teenagers committed suicide. Last year, none did during that same period. There have also been a decrease in referrals to Child Protective Services.

Then there’s the learning loss. Tens of thousands of students started the school year without a district-provided Chromebook, internet access or both. In early September, average weekly attendance was 91.5 percent. For the week ending Oct. 23, it had fallen to 88.1 percent. African American and Hispanic students were most likely not to show up.

The district’s reopening plan described the status quo as an “academic crisis.” It noted decreased attendance and parents “reporting lower than usual grades.” This is happening all over the country. In Dallas, half of students lost learning in math, and 30 percent lost learning in reading compared with last December. Some school districts around the San Francisco Bay Area saw a 50 percent increase in students with a failing grade.

There isn’t enough “learning” in “distance learning.”

One of the barriers to reopening doesn’t have anything to do with students. Some teachers are concerned about their personal health. The district plan would allow teachers with underlying medical conditions to telecommute. That’s a reasonable accommodation.

The district’s plan isn’t perfect. It would be better to get students back to class in two weeks, not two months. More in-person instruction, especially for elementary students, is needed, too.

But after months of foot-dragging on reopening, this is a big step forward.

Contact Victor Joecks at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on Twitter.