OPINION CORNELIUS’ CORNER
Students need to ride together Deegan Cornelius staff writer Students should have the option to ride with other students to after school sports and clubs. When you see two or more students in a car on their way to a practice or a game you might think to yourself, “That is a safety hazard,” or “They are putting everyone at risk,” but for some students that is the only way to their events. Students do not have the option to drive themselves or have a family member drive them around. In most sports that Scottsburg offers, the participants make contact with one another regardless, so a restriction on students being in the same vehicle should not be necessary. Some students, including myself, have had difficult times figuring out how he or she will go to and from their after school events. By restricting the option for students to ride with one another, some students will have no option and remain stranded at school until a family member can arrive. Restrictions on carpooling may also make it harder for students to socialize and make connections that could help them progress and grow throughout the rest of their lives. If there must be restrictions on students riding together, then the same rules should apply for bus rides. It is impossible for students to socially distance themselves in any vehicle, including a school bus packed full of people, but wearing a mask allows some protection for students. Therefore, students should be able to ride together in cars just as they can on the bus to and from school and to and from sporting events. Overall, students riding together to and from school-related activities provides an efficient way for them to get to their destination. As long as they are following the safety precautions set out by the health department and state law, students should be allowed to ride together in cars.
SHS holds back virus spread; still room for improvements Staff editorial
CASES STATS
Cases throughout the nation Cases throughout the state Over the course of a couple months, COVID-19 has impacted nearly everyone’s Total Cases life. As a teacher, a student or a parent, life has changed drastically. If you are like Scottsburg High, going solely online was not an option. Due to regulations, all public schools need in person schooling to stay open. Total Cases As a public school, we need the funds provided by the federal and state government to continue to be a public school. Through a worldwide pandemic, schools were forced to open back 300-1,000 confirmed infected up, disregarding all the red flags COVID-19 has 1-1,000 cases 10,000-100,000 thrown up. With that being said, what precau1,001-3000 confirmed infected tions can a school take that would really make 1,001-10,000 More than 100,000 the school “safe”? 3,000+ confirmed infected Walking into SHS, you will be greeted with a thermometer and masked smiles. Wearing masks spread: Cases throughout the nation and the state as of mid-September. Statistical inforthroughout the day is just one of the many re- COVID-19 mation from John Hopkins University and the Indiana State Department of Health. Scott County has quirements to even enter the school. Every per- had 54 weekly cases per 100,000 people according to ISDH’s Coronavirus Dashboard. The county has nearly 400 cases confirmed and 11 COVID-related deaths since the start of testing last spring, acson before entering the building must have their had cording to ISDH data. Meanwhile, the nation totals reached beyond 200,000 COVID-19-related deaths, temperature checked. While this is an essential and several models nationwide predict totals of cases and deaths will continue to rise as cold and flu key to determining whether someone should be season approach the United States. So far, 22 states are on the rise for Coronavirus cases. at school or not, how efficient are these devices that determine whether a student has a tem- desks or tables that can be placed six feet apart, be together for 15 minutes even with masks on. perature (a big indicator for COVID-19) or not? which means students can take off their masks. However, students can be shoulder to shoulReadings like 80 degrees, 180 degrees and even When masks cannot be taken off because der for the entire class period in some classes. 33 degrees have been horrifyingly heard but not desks or tables are too close, some teachers allow Whether in these situations for a few seconds or reported. With this being said, are students who students to take a five-minute break or more with for the entire class period, germs can still spread may have a fever getting a “free pass” being let their masks off for a breather (which is well need- with contradictions existing throughout these into the school beed), allowing guidelines that are put in place to keep students cause of the fluctuonly a cer- safe. ating thermometer THROUGH A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC, tain number To end on a different note, Scott County readings? You can SCHOOLS WERE FORCED TO OPEN of students District 2 has been doing a lot better than most go to page 6 for BACK UP, DISREGARDING ALL THE RED (distanced) schools. As a staff, we agreed that yes, there are more information FLAGS COVID-19 HAS THROWN UP. at a time. some faults and flaws, however, we are doing the on that topic. H o w e v e r , best we can do as a district. That’s what’s most With masks being when masks are important. As students, we all need to do our part a mandatory mandate and while social distanc- off for those few students and the teacher says to make sure we can stay open for as long as posing cannot be practiced at all times in the class- switch, there becomes a time frame where a lot of sible. Whether that means staying home or wearroom due to class sizes, masks have to be worn the students have their masks off all at one time. ing a mask properly (covering your nose as well) most everywhere in SHS. Some classrooms have While working in groups, students can only to Walmart, we need to do our part.
108,646 +850
Sept. 2020, Issue 1
Opinion
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