With the new Omicron variant making headlines, many are left wondering if students should transition back to remote learning. The United States has unfortunately, yet again, been struck with rising Covid-19 cases this post holiday season. And so it all comes down to one question: should Stamford Public Schools participate in online learning after winter break?

This question boils down to whether we should prioritize mental health to physical health and vice versa. According to The Beacon, 75 percent of college students reported feeling more anxious or stressed doing online learning. The mental health of students showed drastic declines during the school shut down we experienced in the 2020-2021 school year. This time around, students have the opportunity to immunize themselves through the recently developed vaccine. The new booster shot is also available for all who are 16 years of age and older, and is recommended by the CDC.

We have to take teachers into consideration as well. They are pressured to meet harsher deadlines when online and many struggle with conducting educational classing without being face-to-face. It is also more difficult to manage students and see if they are cheating during exams, which only results in further harm to students’ education. According to Education Week, 56 percent of teachers reported that they only got through half or less than half of their curriculum during the 2020 shutdown. Proper communication is also vital for the relationship between students and their teachers, and emails and virtual calls simply do not make the cut.

Online learning requires that students be self-motivated, which the vast majority are not. If given the option to skip the Google Meet and stay in bed, many students would choose an extra hour of sleep. If worried about attendance, a student could join the meeting and go back to sleep anyways to ensure they get a marked present. Many students also suffered a significant decrease in their GPAs and motivation levels.

While avoiding Covid-19 is still important nearly two years after its primal outbreak, we as a society are much better equipped to handle it now. Going back to remote learning would only harm students’ education while many are preparing to go off to college in the fall. The adjustment back to in person schooling after a period of online learning is not easy, and many students will likely fall through the cracks if they have to navigate that again.