For this issue, we asked our writers to highlight some of our Makos’ opinions about returning back to school or staying online.

By Neomi Chapelin
Staff Writer

AP Human Geography teacher, Jared Lutz, has been teaching at MAST Academy for almost ten years. Lutz offered his views on how the current pandemic has affected schooling, even adding his own political opinions into the mix. When asked to explain the process of the teachers having a choice or not teaching online or in person, he did not go into depth about himself but did on his wife, Lisette Lutz, an art teacher for an elementary school. However, Mrs. Lutz only works at the elementary school one of the five days per week; the other four spent working for the district. “She wanted to stay home and teach virtually that one day a week for art, but the principal would not allow her to,” Lutz said. In comparison, Lutz explained that Dr. McKoy, the principal of MAST Academy, was “willing to speak to teachers and allow them to teach remotely if they choose to.”

         Lutz was also questioned about his feelings regarding returning to school in person. “I’m nervous,” Lutz began, “I’m very anxious.” After a moment’s hesitation, Lutz explained how the CDC Guidelines were softened during the Trump Presidency. “… but President Trump pressured the CDC to make it easier for schools to reopen by relaxing that rule.” The rule that Lutz is talking about? Trump eased the CDC’s recommendations to be six feet apart; however, those feet have been split into three Lutz added two meaningful comments, saying that Trump was not a scientist and stating that the change was political—not for the public’s health. The second: that he was worried about his colleague’s health, especially the older ones.

When asked about how he feels being online impacts learning, Lutz had a strong opinion. 

“I don’t think that they really pay attention as much.” Lutz continued, comparing discussions online, through Zoom and the conversations in a classroom, face to face. Lutz also mentioned his son, who is in elementary school. He explained that if the students have helpful parents, they are to get more out of learning—with a drawback. Helping their children becomes a burden, and for many parents, they do not have the time. Lutz spoke about how he felt his son learned more during the online period of last school year since he and his wife helped their son plenty.

Lutz also wished for a working vaccine in the future and that there are to be fewer deaths than predicted by the end of the year. When asked to go into more depth on what he believes will happen over the course of this school year, Lutz said that it depends on how quickly we develop a vaccine: “… but I suspect that we’ll reopen schools, and then we will be forced to close them again as cases will spike.”