We support the school’s COVID-19 prevention procedures, but we believe there is room for improvement. 

Masks are an effective and important measure taken to prevent an outbreak of the virus, especially for those not vaccinated. While proper coverage of the nose and mouth could be further enforced, many people are following this guideline. Furthermore, the school is admirable for having masks be enforced at all, especially in comparison to other districts that don’t require masks for unvaccinated students, much less those who are vaccinated.

Social distancing isn’t being enforced well. In the hallways, there are too many students to physically be three feet apart. It’s difficult to enforce in classrooms: the chemistry classes have reduced space due to lab tables. Other classes that do have space often have too many students. 

The rules are also vague, especially during lunch. Although the administration has set up a second lunch room for increased social distancing, it has not solved the problem. The rule of four people per table permits students to sit shoulder to shoulder as long as they meet the quota.

Supervisors usually only enforce distancing if and when they notice. That’s dangerous, considering that masks aren’t worn when eating. Ergo, we think that tapes should be put up marking distances, similar to last year. Furthermore, too many underclassmen enter the cafeteria to the point where it’s difficult for social distance to be practicable. 

Lunch tables aren’t cleaned throughout the day as evidenced by crumbs on tables left between periods. We believe it imperative that lunch tables are cleaned between periods. The same should be done with student’s desks multiple times a day to rid the surface of potential COVID-19 virus.

The school board has proposed for teachers and students in extracurriculars to get vaccinated or tested on a regular basis. We agree with the policy as it will either prevent infections or catch them before the virus spreads. Additionally, since it doesn’t mandate vaccinations, it doesn’t infringe on any rights. We find this proposal to be a responsible measure from the school and commend them for taking this step forward.

We do not agree with the regulations for those who have contracted the virus or are symptomatic. The school should monitor students more closely for symptoms. If a student does appear positive, they should be quarantined, regardless of vaccination status because anyone can spread the virus.

The school often keeps students in the dark regarding whether they’ve been exposed to someone who’s contracted COVID-19. It is imperative that they be more transparent and let people who share a class with the infected student know who that student is so they can also judge for themselves whether or not they were too close in contact.