How Much Support In D-205 For In-Person Learning?

ELMHURST, IL — Through a survey, Elmhurst School District 205 has found that about 85 percent of students' families favor in-person instruction for the coming year, the district revealed Tuesday.

Under its reopening plan, for middle and high school students, the district is splitting students into two groups and each group will get two days a week of in-person instruction and the rest online. Elementary students would attend school every day. But if conditions worsen, the students would follow a schedule similar to the middle and high schools.

For all grades, parents would have the choice of their children being educated remotely all the time.

The Elmhurst teachers union, which opposes the district's plan and pushes for going completely online, seems to concede the popularity of in-person learning. In a statement Tuesday, the union noted the district promised in-person learning five days a week for elementary students. But so many parents found that option appealing, the union said, projected class sizes are too big to comply with social distancing requirement.

As with the rest of the country, Elmhurst residents are debating on social media about how school should proceed.

On Tuesday, resident Dan DeCristofaro posted his concerns to the Elmhurst News & Comment page on Facebook, saying he could no longer stay quiet. His post drew more than 300 comments.

"My family should have the choice to send our kids back to school. I am not saying that anyone reading this has to send your own kids back, but our school district plan was that parents have a choice in the hybrid model," he said. "Schools are essential services to our children and the science and scientific data that is always being quoted tells us that kids being home for remote learning is HORRIBLE for their brains and mental well-being. We need to talk about the damage being done to our kids and this is not right."

Many agreed, while some differed. One woman wrote that children's emotional health will be at risk if they go back before it is safe.

"Think about school before the pandemic — assemblies, working in groups, changing classes, talking to friends by your locker, dance class, play practice, clubs, lunch, band, etc. A safe place to be," she said. "Do you think it will be like that now? The reality is that now masks, social distancing, no extracurricular activities, temperature checks, people being sent home sick, a classmate or teacher dying, classrooms being quarantined, and rules for everything you do all day will be in place to keep people safe. That will be the new normal. If you were a child, and were thinking about school, which way would you want to remember it?"