Each year as summer comes to a bittersweet end, parents tediously prepare to send their children back to school where they can begin a new chapter in their educational journey. From buying backpacks and pencils to new clothes and shoes, generally it is an exciting adventure for both parents and students alike. While children focus on sports tryouts and forging new friendships; parents shift their concentration to reorganizing their schedules and reuniting with fellow PTA members. Sadly, this year the excitement of a fresh start has been hampered for all by a concern for the health and safety of students, staff, and family members as a result of COVID-19. So, how can parents, students and teachers safely prepare for the back to school season amidst a global pandemic?
1. Enforce Social Distancing
Outside of schools, adults and children alike have been advised to follow the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) guidelines for social distancing. These guidelines state that everyone should maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others to minimize the spread of COVID-19. While this is feasible in locations like grocery stores, small businesses, and doctor’s offices, it becomes much more challenging to put in place when highly populated places like schools come into play. This is because there are hundreds of children, staff members and teachers to accommodate in each building. With an average of 20 or more students in each classroom, it is nearly impossible to space desks out this far which has led to new recommendations stating that desks in classrooms should be spaced between 3-6 feet away from the next. Likewise, schools will also attempt to limit the number of children in hallways, cafeterias, and gyms at any given time. While this will all aid in reducing exposure, there are concerns about whether children (especially those in the elementary age range) will be able to abide by the social distancing recommendations. This has raised many concerns over the potential for personal injury lawsuits. To best protect your children, their teachers, and other staff members, it is crucial to prepare them by discussing the importance of social distancing and personal space.
2. Wear Facial Coverings
The CDC recommends, and in some states, it is mandatory, for all children above the age of 2 years old to wear facial coverings. As National Back to School month approaches, it is crucial to get children accustomed to wearing facial masks or shields to simplify the transition as schools begin to open. Parents can allow their children to practice wearing these coverings in the home, on short trips to the store or while visiting relatives. The more that a child wears a mask before arriving at school, the easier it will be for them to keep them in place throughout the school day. You will want to ensure that the mask fits comfortably and that you have several on hand, in the event that your child misplaces one. It is also helpful for small children to see their parents wearing masks so that they will feel less intimidated when they are greeted by masked teachers and staff members upon arriving back to school.
3. Teach Proper Hand Hygiene
Another essential step in reducing the spread of COVID-19 during National Back to School Month is through proper hand washing. Parents can educate their children about the importance of hand washing in preventing the virus at home before they go back to school, where it will be reiterated by teachers and staff members. Everyone should wash their hands after using the restroom, before and after eating and frequently throughout the day with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. For children, this time recommendation can be enforced by teaching them to sing a simple song like “Happy Birthday” or “Mary Had a Little Lamb” as they scrub their hands. Parents can also help prepare their children for situations where water and soap are not available by encouraging the use of hand sanitizer. Meanwhile, to decrease the risk of personal injury lawsuits school districts should provide adequate access to soaps and hand sanitizers for teachers, other staff members and children.
4. Equip Children with Their Own Supplies
While it is common to purchase new school supplies each year, this year parents should purchase extra items like pencils and crayons to ensure that their child will be well prepared. This makes it less likely that your child will need to borrow or share supplies with others in the classroom, decreasing the transfer of all germs and bacteria, including COVID-19. Parents can also reach out to teachers directly to see if there are other items that they can purchase to decrease sharing, such as headphones, tissues, or hand sanitizers.
5. Monitor Health
Generally, school aged children are vocal about not feeling well. But, in some cases, they may have a mild fever or cold and may not express that they feel under the weather. To stop the spread of COVID-19, children must remain at home if they have any symptoms of illness. In some cases, school districts may require parents or staff to conduct temperature checks of students and staff before they enter the premises to protect others. Parents can do their part by monitoring their child’s health carefully at home and by encouraging their child to share any symptoms of illness, no matter how minor. Additionally, parents should ensure that their children are up to date on vaccinations, have a flu shot and take any prescribed medications regularly as they prepare for a return to school.
Although the school year will be filled with concerns of COVID-19, personal injury lawsuits and a plethora of other matters, it is important that students, parents, teachers and staff all prepare cautiously and work together to reduce the spread of the virus. If someone at the school becomes exposed, be sure to follow proper protocol to protect your family including getting medical help and ensuring that cleaning and sanitization measures are taken. If you feel that infection occurred because of negligence on behalf of your school district, contact the experts at Bennett Injury Law immediately for help.
