Since the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States in March, the idea of students returning to school has become a controversial topic, among students as well as parents, teachers and administrators.

According to LancasterOnline, Lancaster General Hospital tested 2,470 children, 18 years and younger; of those tested, 8% tested positive for the coronavirus, although none required hospitalization. However, from July 30 to August 6, 639 cases of coronavirus in children were confirmed across Pennsylvania.

Despite this information, the Manheim Township School Board elected to reopen schools districtwide, providing three options for students: face-to-face; remote learning with classes taught by MTSD teachers; and Manheim Township Virtual Academy. 

Sharon Schaefer, director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction, is one of the many administrators in the district who was hard at work over the summer planning for the novel 2020-2021 school year. “As of August 13, approximately 67 percent of our families chose the face-to-face option for their student or students. 27 percent chose the remote learning option, and 3 percent chose MTVA,” she said. “These options align with the district’s health and safety plan. I appreciate that our families had a choice, because they have to be comfortable with what they’re choosing for their children.” 

Schaefer described some of the steps being taken to protect students partaking in the face-to-face hybrid option, such as wearing masks, social distancing, making hallways and stairwells one-way for the reduction of traffic, staggering dismissal times for classes and encouraging students to wash their hands as often as possible. 

“Our planning centered around safety for both students and staff members. Safety was at the forefront of our planning,” Shaefer said.

Natalie Phillips, a sophomore, is one of the many students at MT participating in the face-to-face option. “I believe that it is safe [to return to school] if we follow the precautions that have been set in place, like masks, six feet apart at all times, [and] separation,” she said. “I feel like it’s safe if everyone’s taking personal responsibility for what they’re doing.” 

Phillips says she will return to school face-to-face, even if it may not be the safest option. She wants to experience the social aspect of school, which she feels helps an individual become a well-rounded student, as well as to form personal connections with teachers, something that would be lost with virtual learning. “I feel like [teachers] can understand what you struggle with in the classroom, whereas virtual, it’s hard to establish that initial relationship and connection.” 

Abby Labezius is a freshman who chose the MT Flex program because it was the safest option for her and her family. “I live with people who are at a higher risk [of contracting the coronavirus] than others. That’s the main reason [why] I chose to do virtual learning,” she said. Labezius also says she was successful with the transition to online learning in the spring.

Sophia Godfrey, another sophomore, has also chosen MT Flex. She believes that this program will be a similar experience to being at school in-person, and thus the quality of teaching will be better. In-person, she says, is the least safe option for students, because of the rising numbers of positive test results for the coronavirus in Lancaster County.

“The pandemic is literally worse now than when school shut down in March, so it really doesn’t make sense. If it wasn’t safe to go to school then, why is it safe now to go?” Godrey said. 

Marianne Rossini, mother of two at Township and a frequent substitute on the support staff at Brecht Elementary, believes that many children in the school district require the face-to-face option.

“Our kids with IEPs, our special needs kids [need that option]. You have students in life skills classes, autism classes, emotional support, and learning support,” Rossini said. 

She strongly believes that in-person teaching will support the free or reduced lunch program and students who do not have the support to learn virtually, as well as support the need for socialization, something required to avoid rising depression rates–a problem that has been heavily present ever since the pandemic reached the United States. 

Phillips agrees that many students need the face-to-face option to find success at MT. “The special needs program is definitely a concern because it is so hard to teach special needs students virtually,” she said. “It’s even hard for students with a traditional schedule. Especially [with] the socioeconomic differences because we have such a wide range of incomes at Township, and I feel like it can be difficult for every student to have access to virtual learning.”

Godfrey and Phillips also foresee issues with students partaking in the face-to-face option. Godfrey’s main concern lies with the possibility that some students will not take the pandemic seriously and will disregard the protocols set in place for safety–masks and social distancing. Phillips believes that students attending school face-to-face could be asymptomatic and could bring the virus home, therefore spreading it and creating a wildfire of cases.

On the other hand, Mrs. Rossini foresees issues for students participating in virtual learning, especially declining academically. Labezius feels that virtual learning might lead to too much isolation for some students, or technological issues with Schoology or Zoom.

Despite different views on which option is better for students, perhaps one of the most common concerns among Township residents is a positive test result of the coronavirus for a student or staff member. 

“I think it’s very likely, and it’ll probably happen because seeing the news … [at] literally almost every school that’s opened, there’s been at least one person that’s had it, and then they infect a bunch of other people, and it’s just a big mess,” Godfrey said. “So yes, I think someone will [get the coronavirus], especially in a school the size of Manheim Township High School.” 

Phillips agreed that it is likely someone would test positive for the coronavirus at MTHS, though spreading the virus would be more difficult if every student followed protocols. She also regarded entitlement as a possibility of the virus spreading at MT.

Labezius added what she thinks needs to be done if, by chance, someone contracted the virus, such tracing the classes that the person was in, contacting students he or she might have been around, and deeply cleaning the school. 

Mrs. Rossini commends the administrators involved in the reopening of schools: “I think the schools are working very hard. … I think they’re doing everything in their power to keep the students — and the teachers — safe.”