In a scramble to improve student performance and address funding shortages, districts are proposing school closures on large scales. Although parents and teachers are voicing their concerns about such sweeping moves, school and government officials maintain that closing under-performing schools is the right thing to do.

Just days into the new school year, thousands of kids are under quarantine in public school districts after being exposed to COVID-19. Cases and hospitalizations among children are on the rise, and the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus makes up about 90% of new infections among kids, according to experts.

Schools across the country are shutting down again. The spectacular surge of Omicron cases has left thousands of teachers and students sick, and many others quite logically fear infection or spreading the virus to their immunocompromised relatives or unvaccinated young children.

Three school districts in the country have cancelled in-person learning this week as local officials report drastic drops in student and teacher attendance attributed to COVID-19 and other illnesses. Two school districts in Kentucky announced in-person closures for this week, citing a rise in illness among staff and students.

In the past week, several school districts shockingly announced they are suspending in-person learning in response to the latest COVID surge. In addition, businesses and institutions are reinstating mask mandates.