Gov. DeSantis, my kids must return to school in the fall — so don't reopen them now | Gil Smart

Treasure Coast Newspapers

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis seems determined to sprint when it seems far wiser to crawl.

On Wednesday, DeSantis said the state's efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 were working, and he would be forming a task force to look at how — and when — Florida could begin to reopen businesses and schools and start transitioning things back to normal.

This, as the state recorded 115 new deaths Tuesday and Wednesday, the highest two-day total so far.

Maybe we're at the peak. Or maybe we're NOT at the peak, and we need to wait and see how things play out before we rush back to work and school?

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Warfield Elementary School second grade teacher Heather Hoffman waves to students as vehicles with teachers and school staff pases by honking and saying hello Wednesday, April 1, 2020, at St. Lucie Mobile Village near Indiantown in Martin County. The educators and children hadn’t seen each other in person since before spring break, when they didn’t yet know the coronavirus pandemic would cause public schools to shut their doors and move classes online. “If the best we can do right now is see them on the sidewalks as we drive by then we will take it,” said second grade teacher Kimberly Love. “These teachers are committed to the kids and the community,” said Warfield Elementary School Principal Cristina Smith, who also praised school staff. “They are there for them whether in person or virtually. These are the most dedicated teachers you can find.”

On the latter, I have a particular interest. As I type this, my 10-year-old, 4th-grade son sits behind me, sighing as he plunges into his daily online "distance learning."

On the other side of the house, my 13-year-old, 7th-grade daughter seems to be having an easier time of it. Oh, and then there's my 18-year-old son, a freshman at the University of Central Florida, in HIS bedroom preparing to take an online test that he'd much rather be taking in person.

Then there's me, working from home, but having to ride herd over these kids and their education at the same time.

My college freshman is self-sufficient; my daughter has more problems with her computer than anything and I have to play tech support. But for my youngest son, the sheer amount of work he has seems pretty formidable.

Beyond that, he's a kid who thrives with formal instruction. He learns more efficiently when there's a teacher up front to lead the lessons, when he can blow off steam by goofing with his buddies in the moments in between.

Distance learning is tougher for him. And I'm quite certain many parents would say the same thing about their kids.

That's not a knock on our school district in Martin County. I applaud teachers and administrators for getting this system up and running. And I'm profoundly grateful for their attention to my kids — like when my son's math teacher texts to remind him about the daily noon videoconference.

Given the circumstances these education professionals are doing a phenomenal job. But it's an uphill climb.

Not every kid is logging on even if he/she has the equipment to do so. Our schools are actually sending school resource officers out to individual students' homes to see why they may not be logging in daily — digital truancy checks.

And then, how many kids don't have a parent at home to watch over them and making sure they're getting their work done?

With me home, my kids are fortunate — but it's tough for me. I have my own work to do and can't dedicate my days to making sure my kids aren't just doing the work but actually understand the work they're doing.

That means I've no choice but to turn around every five minutes or so and ask my son, "How's it going?" I have to constantly stop what I'm doing to check his lessons, help him to understand something, or make sure he's following up with his teachers.

This is not a system under which my son can thrive as he did in the classroom. But right now, it's all we've got.

Which brings us back to Gov. DeSantis' seeming determination to open the schools sooner rather than later.

The president of the Florida Education Association, the statewide teachers' union, has called for DeSantis and Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran to keep school campuses closed for the rest of the school year. Many local teachers' unions are saying the same thing.

The Education Association of St. Lucie "would not be supportive of any decision that placed our educators, their families, our students or their families at risk," said President David Freeland.

Neither would this parent.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing I'd like better than for my own kids to get back to school, back to normal. But rushing that — sending kids back to school this year — could actually prolong this experiment in distance learning.

If reopening campuses were to fuel a surge in infections, would it be safe to send kids — and teachers, and administrators and support staff — back to school in the fall? If not, wouldn't we have little choice but to continue with distance learning?

Let's not take that chance.

The best education for my own children lies within the four walls of their schoolhouse. The sooner they get back there for good, the better.

But it's got to be safe — for them, for their teachers, for everybody.

So let's not rush back now — and ultimately prolong the time we have to stay away.

Gil Smart is a TCPalm columnist and a member of the Editorial Board. His columns reflect his opinion; if you like what you read please consider subscribing to TCPalm. Gil can be reached at gil.smart@tcpalm.com, by phone at (772) 223-4741 or via Twitter at @TCPalmGilSmart.