Big Books & Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller

Should schools reopen this fall? 

School buses parked at a depot.
A worker passes public school buses parked at a depot in Manchester, N.H. As the Trump administration pushes full steam ahead to force schools to resume in-person education, public health experts warn that a one-size-fits-all reopening could drive infection and death rates even higher.
Charles Krupa | AP Photo file

It’s the question everyone is asking: Will Minnesota schools reopen in-person this fall, or will education be digital again? To say it’s a complex issue is an understatement. Public health leaders have to balance the needs of children, who certainly benefit from being in classes, with teachers, who could be more vulnerable to COVID-19, and parents, who are overwhelmed trying to work while balancing child care. 

Minnesota’s decision is expected by the end of the month. In the meantime, what can we learn from states and districts that have already announced how school will look this fall? On Tuesday at 9 a.m., MPR News host Kerri Miller spoke with two experts about how to weigh the risk. 

Guests

  • Scott Sargrad is a former U.S. Department of Education official and current vice president of K-12 education policy at the Center for American Progress.

  • Dr. Kate Connor is a pediatrician at Johns Hopkins and the medical director of the Rales Center for the Integration of Health and Education.