There's a huge debate over schools happening right now in the United States. Parents, kids, and teachers are wondering when to open, how to open, and if they should even open in the first place.
Just this past week, a Georgia school district had to quarantine 900 people after reopening this month.
But that hasn't stopped districts across the country from going full steam ahead with their plans to reopen. Teachers are setting up their classrooms the best they can.
Here's what they look like:
1. There are barriers in front of desks:
This is the one of the barriers against COVID-19 that the University of Georgia set up.
2. Classrooms that look like this:
Quite possibly the saddest thing I've ever seen in my classroom. This is not how I teach. This is not a room that says "welcome, let's have fun learning!" This is not going be easy.
3. Face shields made from laminated paper and staples:
The PPE I was provided today from my school district, a “face shield” made of laminated paper and stapled together 😅
4. Huge pieces of plexiglass suspended from the ceiling:
@NicholasFerroni As president of a school board in Orange County, CA, I bought $85,000 worth of plexiglass for our 9,000 students to sit behind, and masks for all. That’s if we can get off the watch list of Governor @GavinNewsom . It’s tough out here in OC! Here’s a classroom set up. You like ?
5. Teachers confined to "The Blue Zone":
My friend's classroom in a neighboring county returning face to face: 28 desks. 2.5- 3ft spacing. Blue zone for the teacher only. Masks optional.
6. Desks much closer than six feet apart:
This is my classroom with desks six feet apart. That first row seems awfully close to me. 😱
7. Classrooms of only six desks:
One of my classrooms can only hold 6 desks while social distancing. How in the world can parents willingly with full conscience and “of sound mind” think this is safe for your children. This classroom typically has 20-25 students in it. My daughter will be 💯 distance learnin
8. Barriers in front of desks and garbage bags covering water fountains:
First look at my classroom since March 6, 2020. It’s like it was frozen in time. Now there are these obtrusive black barriers on some of the desks and that is the only change I see with the exception of the water fountain covered up with a black garbage bag. #livesoverlessons
9. Police caution tape in front of the teacher's desk:
All set up and organised for the pupils returning tomorrow. Can’t wait to get back into the classroom and do some teaching again 📚📝🧪 #backtoschool #BackToSchool2020
10. GoFundMe fundraisers set up for basic supplies:
When you see that a math teacher at Your local HS is having a GoFundMe for PPE because it is NOT supplied for the safety of everyone in those buildings, how on earth do YOU feel that the schools re-opening will be ok? This is insanity. @NJGov @GovMurphy @starledger
11. Teachers buying their own PPE out of necessity:
This is 2020. I ordered face shields to wear with my multi-layered masks at school. It pains me to say that I don’t trust the quality of the PPE that will be supplied by my underfunded urban public school district. I don’t feel safe as a teacher.
12. Classroom wish lists full of basic cleaning supplies:
My classroom wishlist sure is something
13. Teachers forced to buy their own soap for their classroom:
The past few times I’ve gone to my classroom there’s been NO SOAP🤯 luckily got my hands on some at the dollar tree after having no luck finding any. Now I gotta hide my stash🤫
14. Desks barely three feet apart:
Today I helped set up my mom’s first grade classroom. The CDC recommends that desks be 6 feet apart and we can barely get them 3 feet apart. Not to mention kids not staying in their seats, taking off their masks, and getting in each other’s faces. School starts in three weeks.
15. Desks not even a yard apart:
Today, I helped my wife hang some stuff in her classroom. Her school is opening on 8/17. I put the yard stick (it’s actually a “meter stick”) on the desks to show how far apart they are. Spoiler alert: that’s not six feet.
16. Shower curtains covering books:
Never did I ever think I’d be covering my classroom library with a shower curtain 😅
17. Minimal supplies:
The PPE my school district so generously supplied me for the entire school year. 1 homemade face shield, a leaking bottle of hand sanatizer, 1 pair of gloves, and a saturated 1 layer mask. Kids were back to school today
18. Desks 22 inches apart:
@santiagomayer_ This is my classroom. The desks are 22 inches apart. That's all the room I have.
19. Already crowded classrooms getting even more crowded:
My sister is a teacher in GA. This is her classroom. She needs to find a way to fit 3 more desks in this space. 😧 Protect our teachers too!! We need virtual classes across the board.
20. Desks two feet apart:
Spent 2 hours in my classroom today trying to figure out how to configure my desks. I landed on 2 feet. 2 FEET. Photo 1: What 2 m between desks would look like... Photo 2: What a classroom with 25 desks ACTUALLY looks like... #abed
21. Desks crammed together:
Please do! As a teacher, how can I possibly keep students and their families safe. This is a picture of my grade 3 classroom this year with 29 desks arranged as recommended by Hinshaw and LaGrange. This is social distancing according to them. https://t.co/KbYxw5lTp2
22. And just impossible distancing rules in general:
So this is my class set up for September 2019. I am set to have the same number of students 30-31 this September. I will not be able to space the desks 1 metre apart. Any suggestions?