Student opinions on COVID-19 plans
January 21, 2022
On January 18th, Abington School District held a special board meeting regarding the district’s COVID-19 health and safety plan and what revisions could be made. With a 90-minute period built into the agenda to take public comments, parents and students called in to voice their opinions. However, callers were limited to 2 minutes, and many were cut off in the middle of a sentence, unable to finish sharing their thoughts. Because of this, I conducted a survey to collect opinions for 24 hours from Abington Senior High School students who wish to voice their concerns over the COVID-19 safety plan. All multiple choice questions were collected anonymously, and if a student left a free response answer, they could choose whether or not to remain anonymous. If you would like to voice your opinion, the Google Form will be linked at the bottom of this article, and your responses may be featured in a follow-up article.
Q: “On a scale 1-5, how safe do you feel attending in-person learning at school with the recent increase of COVID-19 cases?”
Q: “Do you think Abington should have an optional hybrid plan for students who are unable to attend school due to the rise in COVID-19 cases?”
Q: “Do you think Abington is maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment regarding mask requirements?”
Following these multiple choice questions, students were given the opportunity to type a follow-up opinion however; it was not required. Responses from those who chose to answer both free response questions were composed into one paragraph. The optional free response questions went as follows.
Q: “Please explain why you think Abington should or should not have an optional hybrid plan.”
“I recently just had Covid and due to not having an optional hybrid plan, I am now behind on all of my work. Especially since this is midterm review week for most classes, I wasn’t able to experience the review as a class. A lot of my teachers, also, do not post everything on Google Classroom, so it makes things difficult to learn.” – anonymous 11th grader
“A lot of people are out so it makes more sense than mass absences.” – anonymous 11th grader
“It allows students who don’t feel well to not fall behind while also keeping everyone safe. It is also better for students who are nervous about COVID numbers.” – Delia Jaffe, 12th grade
“Tbh sometimes it’s overwhelming” – anonymous 11th grader
“I think Abington should have an optional hybrid plan because many students and parents are concerned about COVID. In-person school should be an option so that concerned students can stay home; most students would go to school anyways.” – anonymous
Q: “What is your opinion on the district’s mask requirements? Do you think fully vaccinated, and those with boosters, should be required to wear a mask?”
“I think that once case numbers come down, boosted people shouldn’t have to wear a mask.” – anonymous 11th grader
“Yes, you can still get covid if you’re fully vaccinated and boosted.” – anonymous 11th grader
“Yes, everyone should wear a mask. The correct mask wearing should also be enforced. It’s annoying seeing kids wearing masks under their nose.” – anonymous 11th grader
“People are missing out for up to 10 days and have to catch up on a ton of asynchronous work because the district is not providing a hybrid model. I think that all students should be required to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status. I think the district can loosen the mask mandante or remove it completely when the CDC approves them to do so.” – anonymous 11th grader
“Yes they should be wearing masks properly no matter what vaccinations you get or didn’t get.” – anonymous 10th grader
“Everyone should wear a mask!!!!!” – anonymous 11th grader
“All people should be required to wear a mask, as wearing one protects other people more so than yourself. Even if you’re not worried about getting covid, you should still wear your mask to protect others and to avoid spreading it.” – Soph Militello
“I still think everyone should wear a mask even if they received their booster because it helps reduce the risk while indoors in a crowded setting.” – anonymous 11th grader
“I think we should all just not have to wear masks anymore. It doesn’t matter if you are vaccinated or not because even if you are vaccinated, you can still get it and give it, so why would they be allowed not to have a mask but unvaccinated have to? So, I think no more masks.” – anonymous 11th grader
“I believe everyone should wear a mask no matter their vaccination status.” – anonymous 11th grader
Combined Responses:
“It [an optional hybrid plan] gives people more options and makes people feel more comfortable to come in or not. It doesn’t make people feel like they have to come in. The requirements [regarding masks] are good because it’s the best way you stay safe if you don’t want to get vaccinated, and you should be required to have a mask if you are boosted and vaccinated ” – Joe Rodriguez, 11th grade
“Even though masks are enforced, a lot of people do not wear them properly. There are a lot of people crammed in the halls, and it’s overwhelming. I think even if you have the vaccines you should still wear a mask.” – anonymous 11th grader
“Having a hybrid option would make it so that those who have to quarantine don’t fall behind on work. I think everyone should wear a mask because there are still breakthrough cases.” – Emmet McDonnell
“I think there should be an optional hybrid plan so everyone would be comfortable. Kids who would like to attend school in person can, and those who cannot attend school for whatever reason won’t miss out on learning. Yes [everyone should wear a mask] because when everyone is wearing a mask we can protect ourselves and others. It doesn’t really make sense to only require some people to wear a mask because then people who should be wearing a mask will not.” – Ella Montagano, 11th grade
“I think Abington should do the optional hybrid plan because people are getting covid and other people won’t wear their mask properly. It will most definitely help the students who are at home. This way they don’t miss that much schoolwork. I think everyone, even people who are vaccinated and have boosters should wear a mask.” – anonymous 11th grader
“While I prefer to learn in person, I recognize that there are many students who do not feel comfortable learning in an environment in which they may contract the virus and/or pass it on to immunocompromised relatives. I think masks [regardless of vaccination status] should continue to be enforced.” – Sagan Brinkert, 12th grade
“I believe that this [an optional hybrid plan] would help students who have it [COVID-19] or are quarantining to keep up with work. No, I think everyone should wear one [a mask], and they are doing what they can with masks. But I also believe more strict rules should be put in place regarding masking.” – anonymous 11th grader
“I believe we should because the hallways are overcrowded and attendance has been lacking, in which case there is no reason as to why we shouldn’t have a virtual option. They [masks] should be strictly required because there are too many people wearing them the wrong way.” – Sarah Schwartz
“Students are penalized for being sick under the current [learning] model. Do we really, as a school district, truly stand with the health and safety of our students? I believe ALL should be required to wear masks. COVID can still spread between vaccinated individuals and masks are the only weapon we have that can truly protect us from COVID.” – Veronica Botero
“Some students may not be comfortable with coming into school so a hybrid plan should be an option. I don’t really have a full opinion on this [regarding mask requirements] because even if you are vaccinated and boosted you can still get covid and be asymptomatic.” – anonymous 11th grader
“Abington doesn’t know people’s individual circumstances. For example, if someone has an immunosuppressed family member staying with them at certain times or even just being uncomfy at school during a covid surge. I think everyone should be required to wear a mask. Even though in classes, teachers can monitor who is and who isn’t vaccinated, in the hallways it is impossible to tell. Making only certain groups wear masks is isolating and could lead to harassment.” – anonymous 11th grader
If you would like to submit your own response and be featured in a future article, please fill out the form below. Your opinion will remain anonymous unless specified otherwise.
The revised COVID-19 health and safety plan discussed during this school board meeting can be viewed using the link below.
