Celebrating valedictorians and looking ahead to school in the fall

Over the last few weeks, the Southeast Missourian has profiled valedictorians from area high schools. More stories are on the way.

We're always impressed with the caliber of students in our area schools. These men and women have excelled in the classroom over a four-year period, with some having also participated in sports or other extra-curricular activities. We commend each one and wish them well in the next phase of life.

In the coming weeks, schools will begin the fall semester. The Southeast Missourian has reported on several area schools making plans to reopen with in-person classes while also providing a remote learning opportunity for those students who, because of their specific health condition, might be more at risk for COVID-19.

We understand the need to provide a remote learning opportunity for these medically fragile students, but it's also clear to us that schools should reopen this fall for in-person instruction.

During the spring semester, schools were forced, almost overnight, to switch educational delivery from in-person instruction to some version of remote learning. We know now that many schools were not prepared for this, understandably so. And much learning was missed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that 30 children under the age of 15 have died from the novel coronavirus. In most years, the flu kills 190 children. There's also evidence that kids are less likely to spread the virus.

Make no mistake, schools should take COVID-19 seriously -- for students and teachers. Local schools appear to be taking necessary steps to help prevent the spread, from social distancing to wearing masks and other preventative measures. These are all good things. But what happened in the spring semester can't continue in the fall. Kids need school. They need the interaction. And they need to learn.