EDITORIAL: Monroe should not have gone back to school

After all the preparation and time that it took some students are disappointed with the week of school we had before spring break. Also, there are still questions about going back to school even now with less than two months left. Most of the student body is just ready for this year and the situation to be over. 

When we first went back to school, there was speculation on whether or not it would stick. Being in the school, even with all the new precautions, it all felt amazing for everyone. There were things that had to be done like hallway rules and masks but, overall, we were back.

Then, when we went back online there was still hope for after spring break; that was until there was a schedule change. Even now, there is still talk about going back in the coming weeks.

The worst thing about the situation of going back to school or staying home is the hope that students get before it is taken away. Every time that the school said there was a change or that we were going back in so many weeks, most students were ready for disappointment. 

Probably the most important thing for everyone to keep in mind is that we are still in a world-wide pandemic. There are people dying and while it is hard to take in, going back to school is not the world’s biggest problem.

As much as people don’t want to say it, at least we get to have school online. There are countries that don’t have the internet so they don’t even have the option.

This fact does not change or make what students here are going through okay and it is horrible on all fronts. There was never going to be a perfect solution when it came to these decisions. The school did and is still doing the best they can. There is nothing wrong with having hope.

We don’t need to go back to school just to go back online. We need to focus on finishing a hard year, move forward with our lives, and, most importantly, keep people safe. Until COVID goes away, we need to accept that this is what life is at the moment.

The thing that would really be the best at this point would be to stick to the same thing for the rest of the year and accept the new normal. Unfortunately, online school is normal right now. We just never got the chance to accept that.