Safety? At what cost?

“Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.”- Bertrand Russell

Life involves risks; loss, death, sickness and hardships that affect our well-being. As free citizens we make decisions and weigh costs about risks daily, like the vehicle we drive, how we drive, lifestyles we live, outdoor activity, jobs we work. Often these activities have more risk than getting sick or dying from COVID-19. Despite the lower risk, the Plains School Board and administration decided to start the school year with 2-day school weeks.

All other schools in Sanders County started the year with 4-day weeks. At the meeting Thursday 10/1 in the Plains gym, the board decided to resume 4-day school, but not until 10/26. When discussing going back to 4-day school weeks, the official representative of Clark Fork Valley Hospital suggested that we consider canceling the sports programs as a compromise to offset the risk. He also suggested that the board re-evaluate their decision due to rising cases. Another board member said “cases are blowing up” when talking about a certain school district in Montana. So with that rationale, how can they decide to go back to 4-day weeks when they started the year with 2-day weeks and fewer cases?

Parents, with the exception of those that sit on the board, pleaded to begin 4-day weeks ASAP without reservations. A board vote failed to resume on both 10/5 and 10/12. Why the delay? It’s as if no weight is placed on the anxiety, additional burden on parents, inhibition of our kid’s education, loss of enrollment and funds? Before the final vote was taken at the end of the meeting, one administrator spoke up and said to the parents, “You’re not going to change our minds, and we aren’t going to change yours.” Maybe they need to hear from more parents!

Never in the history of medicine have people been tested without symptoms. Now, when a test is done and it comes back “positive,” they create a data point called a “CASE.” The data is useful in showing the ratio of those who are carrying the virus compared with those who actually get sick or die. So naturally, testing asymptomatic people and showing that they have virus material in their system is going to come back “positive” and add to the number of “cases.”

A case DOES NOT mean SICK. Our President and First Lady tested positive with very little or no symptoms on Friday, 10/2, and returned to the White House on Monday 10/5.

Schools all over the United States, including Sanders County, have done well with little reports of sickness let alone “outbreak.” That should put minds at ease. What are we so afraid of? Is it beyond our capacity to look around, compare, and find assurance in the massive amounts of data and information that we’ve accumulated over the last several months? The statistics for children: 1 death out of 100,000, and those under 49 years old, 1 out of 10,000. 50-69 has a 99.5% chance of beating COVID-19 once sick.

Can we see the forest for the trees? How does children’s overall wellbeing not win the day in Plains, Montana? The trend nationally is showing that hospitalizations and deaths are falling. It’s time to stop the hysteria and go back to school full time.

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” -Benjamin Franklin

Matt Feliksa,

Plains