Plans to reopen U.S. schools in fall could fallthrough, since premature reopening of businesses and widespread rallies led to increases in COVID-19 cases. Even U.S. president Trump himself is violating rules against mass gathering by holding political rallies, starting in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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Although Republican lawmakers are clamoring for school reopening the way European countries have seen fit, the current conditions in the U.S. are quite different. While the COVID-19 statistics in those European countries have gone down to manageable levels, substantial spikes in numbers of positive cases and death tolls persist on a daily basis in several U.S. states.

Actually, there is no comparison, because calculating the risks of school reopening in America is different when compared to other countries. In the first place, day-to-day decisions being made by the federal government do not include solving the worsening health crisis. Actions being taken are more on window-dressing the country’s image as a strong and resilient nation under Trump’s administration.

As of June 20, 2020, the CDC reported 32,218 new cases, which brings the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. to 2,247,836. The current death toll, totals 119,055, to which 690 new deaths have been added.

Concerns Raised by State Leaders, Teachers and Parents over School Reopening

Most governors throughout the U. S have already shown little, if no enthusiasm at all in recommending or ordering school reopening. That being the case, school closures are likely to remain until the end of the year; or when a vaccine is already available. The rational concern being considered by local and state officials, is the probability that asymptomatic schoolchildren would transmit the novel coronavirus disease to their parents, teachers and other school personnel.

Besides, teachers and parents alike are not confident that schools will be able to cope with the challenges posed by the threats of COVID 19. In several polls, results consistently showed a large number of teachers who said they will not go back to their teaching post if schools insist on reopening this fall.

On the other hand, a U.S.A Today survey was conducted among parents with at least one child in K-12. The results revealed that 6 in every 10 of those who responded said they would probably have their children pursue academic studies at home, rather than send them back, if schools reopen this fall.