Our view: Back-to-school is welcome any time

We are not weather forecasters, but we predict a warmup next week, due to parents all around the county breathing a big sigh of relief when their children finally go back to school.

Most Carlton County schools announced a return to the classroom for students, following months of distance learning to prevent the spread of coronavirus. While students started the school year in the classrooms, cases of Covid-19 rose quickly in October and November, alarming the governor, who imposed the distance learning requirement by executive order. Since then, more people have accepted masks as necessary attire and have taken social distancing more seriously. Additionally, with the introduction of a vaccine, it seems safe to try a return to schools.

We’re cautiously excited to see some normalcy return to students’ lives. Distance learning, while scientifically necessary at the time, robs students of the social aspect of education, resulting in isolation and depression. We believe, along with the governor and educators, that students learn best when engaged with teachers, staff, and other students. Not to discount the amazing effort by school officials to make distance learning as effective as possible, we are happy to see the schools open again.

It’s a somewhat risky proposition. While younger grades are back full-time, in many school districts, including Cloquet, older students will go back to the hybrid model, attending classes some days and distance learning on other days, depending on the district. Education officials are watching closely. If cases of Covid rise or there’s any evidence or spread in schools, we may return to distance learning. So, parents and students (and staff), please take the risk of contracting the virus seriously. Not only do we not want to see the disease spread, we don’t want to see the schools close down again.

And to the parents of school-aged children: We have felt your pain these past few months. Juggling work, life, children and their education has been stressful for many. We’re hopeful that those days are behind us.