To the Editor:

COVID-19 is a dangerous virus and should be taken seriously. It is also true that we must balance minimizing the impact of the virus with the impacts of our mitigation efforts as Dr Katz of Yale has noted.

In the ironically titled letter “Consistent, Deliberate Falsehoods” [published at newtownbee.com on July 14 and on this letter page] the author filters facts and data driven decisions, apparently to advance a partisan narrative. My sister teaches 2nd grade and is worried about returning in a few weeks and protecting her 5-month-old daughter. She also cares deeply for her students and knows all or nothing thinking stifles objective conversations about how best to address student needs and to keep them safe while optimizing their finite instructional hours.

According to The New York Times, the American Academy of Pediatrics is encouraging “having students physically present in school” as much as possible. In their interview with Dr Sean O’Leary, a pediatrics infection disease specialist and father of two schoolaged children, he said “kids really do seem to be both less likely to catch the infection and less likely to spread the infection,” citing several studies.

Commenting on at-home learning, Dr O’Leary told The Times “there really wasn’t a lot of learning happening. Now we’re seeing studies documenting this. Kids being home led to increases in behavioral health problems. There were reports of increased rates of abuse.

“From our perspective as pediatricians, the downsides of having kids at home versus in school is outweighed by the small incremental gain you would get,” he continued.

This is not a partisan opinion, as the Lamont Administration also recommended schools reopen in the fall when Education Commissioner Cardona gave his press conference three weeks ago. That is not to say it is binary, stay home or return as normal, or that all districts will look the same, because all guidelines on returning to school have included recommendations for measures to mitigate contacts and spread. Cardona specifically raised the concern of “figuring out how to help students who may have fallen behind the past four months.” There are studies on students falling behind and how it disproportionately impacts those on the lower end of the income spectrum and in single parent households.

Catastrophizing is not productive, rather it makes children and their parents more anxious. Our political system is designed for contrary opinions to be vetted in a public forum, with risks and incentives being weighed in all policy making. Officials at all levels of government, from our local District to the State and the Federal Government, are all working to do what they believe is best for children based on the information at hand. I am confident that we will end up with a local policy that strikes the right balance for our students, and remains flexible with changing circumstances.

My comments are my own and not on behalf of the Legislative Council, of which I am a member.

Stay safe,

Ryan W. Knapp

11 Jeremiah Road, Sandy Hook July 15, 2020