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Opinion | As schools prepare to reopen during COVID-19, are the kids alright? Opinion | As schools prepare to reopen during COVID-19, are the kids alright? Sydney Chapados As September approaches and schools prepare to reopen, there are concerns for children, including the risk they might spread COVID-19, their mental health, abuse in the home and access to technology. These concerns largely focus on children's psycho-social development, while protecting children and families from COVID-19 has taken a back seat. Consequently, children have been excluded from conversations as experts make their decisions for them. Human beings or human 'becomings?' While adults are seen as fully independent human beings, children are seen as incomplete and lacking control, knowledge and experience. Jens Qvortrup, a Norwegian sociologist who specializes in childhood, terms this distinction the difference between human beings and "becomings." The majority of society's understanding and treatment of children has to do with who they will become, which in turn ignores who the child is today. Historically, children have had fewer rights than adults because of belief that children are incapable and inexperienced. Decisions made in a child's "best interest" often have to do with producing strong outcomes for their future and for society. But the consequences can be dire when the decisions made for children fail to account for their current well-being or opinions. My preliminary research examines how policies that focus on children at the same time constrain their rights and ignore their experiences. In June, the Ontario government released its plan for reopening schools in September. It was updated in late July to explain that the reopenings would involve a blend of online and in-person learning. The initial plan is focused on concerns for children's futures: that they'll fall behind academically or face consequences at home that negatively impact their development, such as abuse or a lack of socialization. Focused on outcomes The strategy therefore focuses largely on outcomes since it prioritizes a continuous monitoring and examination of students to ensure that they are performing at the proper level. Even though increased anxiety, grief and time off school might have Opinion | As schools prepare to reopen during COVID-19, are the kids al... https://www.mykawartha.com/opinion-story/10137582-as-schools-prepar... 1 of 3 8/17/2020, 12:56 PM