44 | August 2020
D
oes the prospect of your child returning to a
physical classroom during the coronavirus pan-
demic fill you with dread? If so, to keep your
child safe, what reassurances should you look
for to assure the school is doing the best possible job
to disinfect the school and your child's classroom?
The National Education Association (NEA) states that
"any reopening model has to not only ensure the health
and safety of students and staff, but also prioritize long-term
strategies on student learning and educational equity."
On the issue of health and safety, here's what the
Centers for Disease Control (CD), the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA), and the non-prof-
it Women's Voices for the Earth recommend:
Make Sure Your School Has a Plan.
Reducing risk of exposure to the coronavirus requires careful
planning that both meets minimum levels for safety and health and
is specific to your child's school. Schools should not take a "cookie
cutter" approach to disinfection since the size of schools and
number of students per classroom differs from district to district.
Instead, administrators need to consider how their own school
Can Schools Disinfect Safely
to Keep Students Healthy from Covid-19?
by Diane MacEachern
is configured, how many students can be allowed per classroom
to ensure social distancing, how students get to school and the
classroom, how the classroom itself is arranged, how bathroom
breaks will be managed, whether children and teachers need to
wear masks all day, and how easy it is for students and teachers
to wash their hands and sanitize their desks and supplies often.
Some schools might decide they can only accommodate
a third or a quarter of the normal class size at a time. Some
schools may opt for only one day of in-classroom instruction,
with the rest happening online. Most school districts will prob-
ably get in touch with parents as soon as they figure out their
approach, but you can also reach out to them to make your
concerns known. Send them this link to the CDC's "Reopening
Guidance" to ensure they're establishing proper procedures.
Beware of the Cleaning
Chemicals Schools Plan to Use.
The CDC recommends schools use EPA-approved disinfectants
that work against COVID-19. "Frequent disinfection of surfaces
and objects touched by multiple people is important," they say.
However, many of the products EPA recommends contain
quaternary ammonium, or "quats," and sodium hypochlorite, more
