In the midst of this COVID-19 surge, along with the mutation of SARS-CoV-2 (what we recognize as the omicron variant), we are seeing the darker days of this pandemic.

This past Friday, January 7, 2022, 44.51% of public school students were absent due to the inclement weather and rise in cases. If we as students are not provided with the option to stay at home, even with thousands of lives at risk, what will it take for us to ensure our safety?

Our best option is to switch to remote learning in order to provide proper education for all students including those who have tested positive for COVID. Delaying this decision only harms us in the end because we are all at risk of exposure to new variants that have risen as we go further into this pandemic. Should the action of closing schools prove to be effective in decreasing the number of new COVID cases, we can return to somewhat normal circumstances rather than living in fear.

The adults believe that school is the safest place to be during this time, but our experience has proved otherwise. What was intended to be a stable environment for students has turned into a breeding ground of anxiety and dread. Considering that we’re the students stuck in this impossible situation, we need to take the initiative of securing our safety.