It was a microcosm of the difficult world we now navigate daily, and apparently it was extremely difficult, even sad, to watch.  One knew it wouldn’t end well, period.  How could it?
The recent Branson (MO) Council debate over the face-mask mandate was a perfect example of trying to balance the health of a community’s economy with the health of a community’s residents.  Tales and pleas from agonized businesses were sad and touching.  Facts and pleas from the healthcare community were sober, even frightening.  How tragic that the pandemic dictates that these two valid concerns must face off in a way-too-literal case of ‘pick your poison’!
Why these thoughts in a column about education?  Because the whole back-to-school debates are frighteningly similar.  It’s hard to hear/read about one ‘side’ or the other without feeling compassion and sympathy.  How can we balance the metaphorical health of a community’s schools with the literal health of a community’s residents, including children, teachers, administration, staff, parents, extended family, neighbors? How cruel that we should be faced with that ‘pick your poison’ choice!  And how cruel that it’s not going to end well, either way.
Another parallel to the mask situation/choice:  It was hard to see and hear of the too-frequent lack of understanding – even hostility – of either side for the other.  It’s indicative of our current divided climate, but there was apparently little evidence of understanding of and respect for each side’s individual and common goals to seek win/wins for these unprecedented circumstances.
Can these unyielding stances be softened in the school re-opening debates, or is it already too late?  Do these choices have to be either/or?  Can both sides work together?
These times just aren’t normal.  Each position has obvious valid concerns, or the dilemma wouldn’t be so massive.  Can they be honored and addressed together, to minimize the lose/lose nature of the choices?  Or, is that too old-fashioned to fit in today’s society?
I repeat that I don’t think there’s a universal right answer.  Instead, I continue to strongly support allowing/encouraging EACH school district (working with constituents) to make these difficult decisions for themselves, regardless of the noise from Washington.  And I would hope each community could somehow band together to support those decisions and work to give them better chances to succeed.
Three final thoughts, each of which could probably be a separate column:

1. Surely I’m wrong, but it’s feeling like teacher health and work/load concerns are not always getting the full consideration they deserve. We ‘demand’ this and that from schools and tend to just assume teachers will always be there, even to do double duty with person/person and virtual learning. To me, this is dangerously like keeping a car constantly polished and waxed, but never adding gas or changing the oil.  Teacher ‘health’ (physical and mental!) is also crucial.  Stories of them writing wills and/or considering retirement are heartbreaking.
2. As so often is the case, we don’t give schools a break. We ‘demand’ so much from them, yet we give them so little credit for their plans, their work, and their creativity as they try to do the impossible.  Can we trust and work with them more, and blindly criticize less?
3. Let’s face it: Some schools may not reopen.  Or they may close again relatively soon.  For an indefinite time.  I say this so very carefully, but, in the long-range big picture, I believe this wouldn’t be the apocalyptic scenario that it might feel like in our short-range conditioned mindset.  And, in the not-too-distant future, when the dust has cleared, and the pain has lessened, we may look back and see that scenario as the perfect lesser-of-two-evils situation.