Key questions are not being addressed

I am a retired educator. My daughter-in-law is a music teacher in Michigan. My oldest grandson will be a senior in high school. My daughter and son-in-law are teachers in Illinois. My two oldest local grandchildren are primary students. The youngest two grandchildren should be in day care. Am I concerned for my family? You bet I am.

Schools have been known as living petri dishes for infection. The health departments of cities have letters they send home each time students are exposed to a number of illnesses. Yet, schools are being asked to reopen while the pandemic shows no signs of abating.

Reports came out about summer camps that opened then closed again when the virus went wild. Three teachers in Arizona who were working collaboratively without students present became infected and one died.

Given these unexpected test cases for opening, you'd think our government would consider these issues. Instead, they hide data from the CDC and say the guidelines from the CDC are too costly and restrictive to enforce. What is the cost of a student's life? What is the cost of a teacher's life? What about long-term health effects of this virus for survivors?

I never thought I would have to encourage my family to home-school their children or send their younger children to our house for day care. I never thought I would be asking my children if sick days for coronavirus exposure will be provided. I never thought I'd have to ask if they'd be eligible for worker's compensation if they went into their school buildings and got sick or died.

I never thought I would have to ask my children to write their wills before going back to work.

Who will address these questions and concerns honestly? Not our federal government.

Laurie Miller

Elk Grove Village