Taking A Risk

The pandemic presents an unending series of dilemmas, one difficult choice after another, often with only bad options available. That’s true at many levels, but it’s never more true than at the school level. The choices made by school officials are fundamental, in that every person in the community is affected in some way; the wrong choices could bring severe repercussions.

With that in mind, it’s notable how well the school districts on the South Fork are negotiating the treacherous waters — with caution, much caution, but also taking calculated risks when appropriate. The result has been that, so far, in-school transmission of COVID-19 has been kept in check. Despite the high stakes, the region’s schools are on a winning streak.

But there is a new question, a new option of edging toward “normal” by beginning to allow sports labeled a higher risk for the spread of infection because of the close contact they involve — basketball, wrestling, football, boys lacrosse, cheerleading. Again, educators must place a high-stakes bet.

Most districts are going forward, and it’s understandable. A cogent argument can be made that robbing kids — especially seniors, and even juniors — of an entire season of scholastic sports will be devastating to them in numerous ways. They will lose the character development that team sports are meant to provide as extracurricular activities, they will feel the mental and emotional health effects of this difficult time more acutely, and some will lose the opportunity to draw attention that could lead to scholarships and financial aid heading into college.

But the risks cannot be ignored, so it’s worth pointing to a couple of exceptions where school districts have the courage of their convictions. Sag Harbor School District, where the School Board has agreed with administrators to err on the side of caution and decline to bring back these sports, is a prime example. Agree or not, it’s a brave stance that puts basic health concerns at the fore, and that should be respected.

Districts grappling — pun intended — with this dilemma are bending over backward to try to do it safely, and getting into some odd positions as a result. One up-island district is talking about requiring students who participate in the high-risk sports to agree not to attend classes in person during the season. What seems sensible can, from a different angle, look more worrisome: Is a student’s athletic experience more important than academics? And is it an attempt to limit wider impact, which makes it an admission that the high-risk sports will lead to more infections — suggesting that it might not be the best public health strategy to begin with?

East Hampton school officials, meanwhile, will allow basketball but not wrestling, though both have been labeled high-risk. The district relied on medical advice for that move, but it does seem like splitting hairs. Without question, wrestling involves closer contact on a more consistent basis — but if an infected teen is playing basketball or even participating in a cheerleading routine, the contact he or she has with teammates is going to risk transmission. And a case can be made that the same “cohort” system that’s keeping classrooms safe can be utilized in wrestling to better control the risks, along with stepped-up sterilization routines.

The point is not that districts have a simple decision to make, and that there’s a clear “right and wrong” way to look at the choice right now. Instead, it’s about giving each district the flexibility to decide what’s best for its students, with the full understanding that a bad outcome will require a very quick change of course.

Pierson’s School Board members and administrators are likely going to be in line for a great deal of criticism from students and parents, especially as other districts surrounding Sag Harbor make other choices. But critics should keep in mind the motivation: keeping both kids and the larger community safe. Nobody has a greater responsibility.

Likewise, as other districts opt to roll the dice and allow more activities this winter and spring, even as the pandemic maintains a firm grip on everyday life, it’s important to keep that goal in mind. A lost sports season is lamentable. But it’s not the worst kind of loss associated with this particular moment in time.