For the people advocating we open schools five days a week ‘as normal’ please immediately host a gathering in your home for 36 children for six hours. What? That’s too long? Okay that’s make this easier, three hours. Put on a movie give them some snacks...

...and let them hang out because after all, kids need to socialize. What? You just don’t feel safe doing that.

Oh, you’re worried about the social distancing? Your house is too small to adequately space out 36 kids at once? I bet it’s more square footage than most classrooms.

Really though, those 36 kids only stay at your house for an hour. Then they need to go to the neighbors...

But don’t worry, another 36 kids will come from down the block. Just keep switching every hour until 180 kids have been through your house in one day. Also, you can’t leave. You have to supervise, fetch things they need, make sure they interact properly.

This sounds like a lot right. You’re worried one of those 180 kids in your house might be carying the virus and give it to you or several of the others. That could happen.

I understand. You think things will be better in August tho? How so? Will there be fewer cases of #COVID19 by then? Would you feel safer hosting these 180 children in the fall?

Won’t lots of them go to that virtual house party? Sure they will, but there is a whole other group of houses responsible for hosting those virtual parties. Your 180 kids are still coming to your party.

What you want to host a virtual party for 12 kids and an in person party for 24 at the same time? Okay, but good luck making sure both groups are adequately supervised and having an equally good time.

Now you are responsible for 60 online virtual kids and only 120 in person visitors in your house today. I bet you feel better.

We should add more houses to spread out the children? Great idea, but houses are expensive. You would need to almost double the number of houses in your neighborhood to make that work. Where will you put them? And you can’t build them that fast.

Nope, your possible options are either a full party with all 36 kids, rotating hourly of course, through your house until you’ve met all 180. Or maybe a 60/120 split. Or a virtual party. What do you think? Open your doors or take it all online?

I’m not saying schools shouldn’t open in the fall. I just want people to understand what they are asking for. Of course classrooms aren’t homes, but perhaps if folks consider the situation in-terms of their own living rooms the numbers become more real.

If you aren’t willing to invite 180 kids through your home while you are there today, why do you think this is safe or reasonable for middle and high schools in the fall?