All right, it’s time for me to address the elephant in the room that, as far as I can tell, has yet to be openly discussed in one way or another.
As most of us know by now, the prolongation of the pandemic has, once again, put a serious damper on the current school year.
We’re still more than two weeks away from Halloween and have already seen the doors close on a number of local schools in multiple districts, forcing students to make the switch back to virtual learning.
This was also the case for a majority for the school year one year ago, as students were made to quarantine and student-athletes saw their seasons on the field and court disrupted and red-taped at every step of the way.
Athletes wearing masks while playing their respective sport, frequent equipment sanitization breaks, mandatory health questionnaires, along with socially distanced benches and bleachers all quickly became a familiar, normal, begrudgingly accepted sight.
One year later, and this is very much still the case for hundreds of kids who have, yet again, are in the process of seeing another school year happen via webcam.
But now, here comes that elephant I was talking about.
In 2021, we've seen the return of the same protocol that was laid out one year ago, when it comes to virtual schooling and extra safety measures brought on by rising COVID-19 cases.
Except for when it comes to athletics, where everything looks like 2019. In other words, athletics seem to be just as, if not more, effective at battling COVID than the actual vaccines themselves.
No masks, no questionnaires, no social distancing, no spectator restrictions or guest lists.
Covering various football, soccer and volleyball games at high schools in three different counties, things are — dare I say — normal.
And that really is a great sight to behold — there is life at stadiums and gyms again.
With that said, it makes me wonder how athletics have somehow been exempt from any and all discussion regarding COVID-related safety policies?
Think about it: some of the students who attend schools that are currently doing remote learning are the same ones who play a sport or do an extracurricular activity facilitated by the school.
What is so different about sitting in a classroom, opposed to being in a court or on a field, as far as the virus is concerned?
Why is it that the education of children must be disrupted, while their respective athletics still remain completely unaffected?
It is pretty much like they’re saying: “You can only catch COVID in the classroom, but you’re immune if it’s Friday night on the football field.”
Now, let me clarify before I get close to three counties worth of angry and confused folks saying I want to shut down sports, because that, quite simply, is not what I am advocating.
Did you hear that?
I am not suggesting another pause when it comes to high school sports.
I’m only trying to point out the ridiculous contradiction that currently exists when it comes to the application of pandemic safety protocols for students and student-athletes.
There is a serious lack of intellectual consistency on display here, and I can’t believe I only just noticed it.
Maybe there is an explanation for this, but I haven’t heard one as of yet.
Joe Judd is a reporter for the Pioneer. He can be reached at Joe.Judd@pioneergroup.com.
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October 13, 2021 at 05:18PM
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JUDD: Growing disparities between learning, athletics too much to ignore - The Pioneer
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