As we were preparing to welcome spring in 2020, our nation and our world changed forever as we were made aware of an unknown virus that had spread from its origins in Wuhan, China. As news of this mysterious virus began to appear on social media, signs of panic and a sense of foreboding began to increase.

Gardiner Area High School first-year student Sarah Work is seen on a laptop screen while waiting for her virtual math class to start. Maine public schools face physical distancing requirements of 3-6 feet for students (6 feet when masks are not worn) and 6 feet for teachers. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal Buy this Photo

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Nicholas Begin and Julie Soucie are each parents of children in Maine School Administrative District 51 (Cumberland and North Yarmouth). Begin is a resident of Cumberland, and Soucie is a North Yarmouth resident.

An unprecedented decision was made early in March 2020: to close public schools for two weeks to “flatten the curve.” If we could slow the transmission of the virus, we would prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed with too many patients requiring advanced care all at once. The plan seemed to work. Maine hospitals were spared the apocalyptic outcome that seemed so plausible early last March.

Parents remained supportive as our children did schoolwork remotely for the remainder of the school year. Our children’s beloved school sports, summer camps and extra activities were canceled. Our children spent the summer unable to socialize with friends or visit grandparents and loved ones. Some parents were able to work from home. Our medical professionals, first responders, restaurant workers and thousands of others had no choice but to continue going in to work. Many parents were confronted with the impossible decision of being home with their children or losing the job that pays for their family’s needs.

Last September, some school districts implemented a hybrid plan in which half of the students would attend school two days a week in person, while the other children remained at home. Public schools need to comply with the state-mandated physical distancing requirements of 3-6 feet for children (6 when masks are not worn) and 6 feet for teachers. Strict rules regarding masks, hand hygiene and health check-ins were implemented. The distancing rules create a hardship for schools, as they drastically lower the amount of physical space available for learning and feeding our children. Most children have attended school in person for two days a week since last September. This plan was acceptable as a temporary measure.

Our children began to show signs of mental distress and learning gaps. The effects of the pandemic on our children cannot be overstated. Mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, have skyrocketed. In addition, a study by researchers at the Stanford Graduate School of Education found that second- and third-graders have shown reading fluency deficits of 30 percent compared to what is expected in normal times. Another statistic: According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center, Maine has the second lowest COVID-19 test positivity rates in the nation. Is this worth putting our children at risk of suicide or academic failure? The solution is, in fact, becoming larger than the problem.

We noticed that when things seemed to be improving, the goalposts for returning to school were moved. We were told to wait for the vaccine, and then herd immunity, and then new strains were discovered. Gov. Mills has given Maine teachers priority to receive the vaccination. Even now, however, numerous schools will not commit to reopening full time this fall. While we love our schools and our teachers, some parents have felt the need to enroll their child in private school. Most Maine parents cannot afford this option – nor should they have to.

Late last month, thousands of Maine parents decided that they’ve had enough. Backto5 is a Facebook group created by Nicholas Begin of Cumberland and has over 2,000 parents advocating for their children. Today, we stand together with one goal: to get our children back into school. While schools in New York City and the entire state of Massachusetts are reopening, our leadership and local school boards appear to lack the political will to make it happen.

We demand relief from the burdensome state requirements that are making full-time school impossible. Maine’s children must be back in school full time no later than April. Until then, our kids will continue to suffer from isolation, depression, suicide and educational deficits, caused by a heavy burden they aren’t equipped to carry.

A full year has now passed. We are no longer in a dire health emergency. Optimism is in the air. Tourists are being welcomed to Maine again. The time for our children to move forward is now.