As of Aug. 8, 2021, 149 students and 36 staff members have tested positive for Covid-19 in Lincoln Public Schools.

“I was shocked that we didn’t open schools with everybody masked, because other schools who tried that have had too many kids miss [school and work] and they have to reconsider [starting schools with masks on.]” Mr. Matt Heimes said. 

According to one email sent by LPS, data from last year showed that high school students needed to be back in school learning in-person. Since many remote learners were not as engaged as they would’ve been in-person it showed an obvious learning loss. 

“I already felt the stress of being behind in only one day,” said senior Amani Al-Hamedi. “Imagining having to be on my own and just do my work through emailing teachers for a straight 14 days. I would be under so much stress, and I don’t think I would be able to handle it.”

Additionally, LPS had a tough time filling the required range of teaching positions at the High School level for Zoom School. With a huge amount of unfilled positions, they are unable to provide Zoom classes to remote students.

Because of this, there are no teachers to teach Zoom classes to students who have to quarantine and no plans for LPS students during quarantine.

“They are trying to balance health-safety concerns with this huge political unrest. That is just putting school boards in really bad positions that they shouldn’t be in,” Heimes said.