Nearly 4,200 Schools Closed for Low-Risk Omicron

Nearly 4,200 schools will be closed or condemned to remote learning this week as officials fear the low-risk omicron variant of the coronavirus.

School districts across the country are grappling with how to move forward with coronavirus protocols as it appears clear that new variants will continue to come and virtual learning and mask mandates are extremely detrimental to the education, social development, and mental health of children.

This week so far, 4,192 schools have decided to cancel in-person learning solely due to the coronavirus. Last week, 5,462 schools closed for the same reason. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a study indicating omicron is 91% less fatal than the delta variant.

Reminder: School closures hurt students the most.

Any news story that doesn’t include that fundamental point is missing the mark.

— Free to Learn (@ftlcoalition) January 13, 2022

Even while Biden Education Secretary Miguel Cardona appears to support opening schools to in-person learning, going as far as to say he believes “very firmly and very passionately” that “students belong in the classroom and that we can do it safely,” teachers’ unions across the country are fighting to keep schools closed. – READ MORE