According to The New York Times, on March 3, there were 2,133 cases just that day in North Carolina. With thousands of new COVID-19 cases being reported each day in North Carolina, is it really safe for schools to open back up?

  Schools have been reopening more and more all around North Carolina. Many parents are concerned about having their kids back in school during these times.

  Sophomore Issac Jones explains how students must move during the day to obey the rules that were given,“When the bell rings we all have to walk the same direction to avoid 2 way halls.”

  Practices like wearing a mask at all times and washing hands regularly throughout the day are mandatory. Little things such as walking in a certain direction are taken very seriously. Still parents, teachers, and students have their concerns about in-school learning.

  New students are also being affected by these changes, Sanderson freshmen are having to go into school without knowing anyone or their way around the building; It’s not a normal freshman year.

  Freshman Ashley Sosa-Godines says, “Learning in person is better but I still don’t feel comfortable about a large amount of kids in one place. We are struggling in this pandemic.”

  Students are voicing their concerns with school and not enough adults are listening. There is still a very serious disease going around and more parents should acknowledge their student’s worries.

  Learning online is already hard. Instead of bringing students back into the building there should be more focus on how to better accommodate online learning— not just for the students but also for the teachers.

  Being able to go back to “normal” is all anyone wants, but how will that be possible when people are not taking the right precautions?  That being said, students who are going back to school should be safe, and follow the guidelines and regulations for staying healthy.