BY Shimya Mitchell, 16 | St. Petersburg Youth Farm
Going into my junior year of high school, I know things will be different. This pandemic has flipped the world completely upside down, and no one knows what’s next, especially for schooling.
They are expecting and preparing for us youth to go back to school next month, and lots of people have problems with that. As a teen that has been close to the virus, I know the virus is no joke, and although education is important, is that really more important than the lives of all the children that will be put in danger when coming into school this August?
Of course, there are the rebuttals, such as “you can catch COVID anywhere,” but if that is the case, why open up schools and risk the safety of many children? And although it would be better for me to stay home and do online schooling, some students, including myself, do not work well in a virtual classroom, and that is why I, and probably many others, will be attending traditional school this year.
I believe that all safety precautions should be followed very heavily, and I will make sure to follow them accordingly myself. Because even though a student getting their education is important, their lives are important as well.
