Some have argued that because schools don't contribute significantly to community spread, they should stay open. 

I disagree. There is explosive  #covid19 spread. Most schools should be closed through the winter.

My  @washingtonpost op-ed: (1/6)  https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/11/24/close-schools-coronavirus-winter/

144,000 children were diagnosed with  #covid19 in one week--an underestimate given lack of testing. 

If you're a teacher, being told that school transmission isn’t the main driver of community spread is hardly reassuring when you’re the one shouldering the individual risk. (2/6)

It's true that effective mitigation measures like reduced classroom capacity, enforcement of mask-wearing & improved ventilation substantially reduce risk. Some schools have put them into place, but many have lacked the resources to implement such needed changes. (3/6)

What about data that there haven't been many outbreaks in schools? Without a national mandate for regular testing and consistent, transparent reporting, we simply won’t have this evidence. 

As the aphorism goes, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. (4/6)

28 states have test positivity over 10%, which according to  @CDCgov puts schools in the highest risk of  #covid19 transmission.

We need to flip the script: Instead of schools closing only when there are proven outbreaks, schools must prove they’re safe before they can open. (5/6)

Schools are essential. But we cannot put the burden of society’s failures on the people who work in schools.

If we truly want to prioritize children, we need to drive down infection rates & invest in safety upgrades in schools--not harm students, teachers & staff. (6/6)