Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1274048
wbjournal.com | August 3, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal 21 Schools must be top priority now V I E W P O I N T E D I T O R I A L B ack in mid-March when the corona- virus pandemic was wreaking havoc across the country, it made sense the top priority would be arresting the spread before restarting the economy. At that point, a quick recovery still seemed in the cards. Yes, schools and many businesses would be shut down to prevent the virus' spread, but the thinking was the self-induced economic coma would only last until the initial threat passed. Today, with a summer surge across much of the country, the reality is settling in the coronavirus will be with us well into next year, even if the aggressive development of a vaccine is completed this winter. Companies like Google have already announced plans to keep their workforces socially distant until summer 2021, and even local orga- nizations like the EcoTarium, Worcester's science museum, have closed for the rest of 2020. e idea of a full economic and societal reopening – no matter how deliberate and science-based – is a lost cause for anytime in the near future. For now, we are le to grapple with which institutions should take greater priority. As we make those evaluations of which non-critical operations should open, and which should be lower priority, one institution should take precedence over all others: our public schools. In the initial phases of the pandemic, reopening schools shied to the back burner, as Massachusetts districts adopted remote learn- ing and seemed to be accomplishing their goal of educating, despite the significant challenges. Now, we are getting a much better understanding of how ineffective remote learning was, par- ticularly in urban systems where students had limited technological resources at home and for younger children in need of hands-on instruc- tion. Moreover, with children having no place to go during the day, their parents had to step back from the workforce, either by being less-effective employees or leaving their workplaces. is is not a sustainable model – or even a temporary one – for proper education and workforce productivity. However, in order to safely open schools, the pandemic needs to be under control, and a comprehensive testing, tracing and quarantining program must be put in place so those who do get sick can be properly managed. is set up doesn't exist right now in America. Since Massachusetts is more than two months past its peak in new cases, our state appears to be better positioned than most states to smartly reopen in-person schooling, although we have yet to see the impact of entering Phase ree of Gov. Charlie Baker's economic reopening. Fitness centers and muse- ums reopened, and gatherings of up to 100 people are now possible. If this leads to a spike in cases, Massachusetts should pull back on Phase ree and consider other closures, such as Phase Two efforts like indoor dining at restaurants. e fallout from the pandemic will be felt for at least a generation, and now is the time to choose what is most important. We can't compromise the intellectual capital of the future by shortchanging our children's education. Learning builds upon itself, and we can't go a whole school year of remote education with limited effectiveness. If we have to be more aggressive managing business closings, so be it. More sacrifices lie ahead. W A Marshall Plan for infrastructure T he COVID-19 pandemic has impacted not only the physical health of almost 3 million Americans, but our economic well-being. Congress has enacted massive legislative packages to help tackle coronavirus and reinvigo- rate the economy. More must be done. One bold step Congress could take already has support from Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill and the White House: a major federal infra- structure package. e New England Council believes a major infrastructure package would provide tremendous benefits to the nation and our region. As Washington, D.C. considers this, it is important our elected officials take a broad view of what constitutes infrastructure. Traditionally, when we talk about infrastructure, we think transportation, which all would agree needs repairs, upgrades and modernization. Besides addressing road needs, years of mass transit main- tenance backlogs require a substantial investment. Bolstering transit throughout our region will ensure greater access for commuters, decrease congestion, and improve air quality. is holds true for Amtrak, particularly the Northeast Cor- ridor, which must be upgraded. Moreover, Congress should give serious thought to funding regional rail expansion to better connect our region and spark economic development beyond traditional hub centers. Another traditional infrastructure mode is air travel, which will no doubt rebound and even hit new heights, necessitating airport upgrades and new construction to meet increased passenger loads. Similarly, growth in trade will dictate a need for on-shore facility capabilities and channels to accommodate the vessels bringing goods to and from our ports. However, as vital as our transportation infrastructure is, it is critical our leaders in Washington take a broader view of what constitutes physical infrastructure. If the coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated one thing, it is hospitals must be considered part of our national infra- structure and funds for the construction and renovation of hospitals are necessary to manage future health crises. Federal investments for physical and technological infrastructure on higher education campuses as well as for elementary and secondary schools will ensure a modern education system to accommodate all students. Water infrastructure systems demand constant atten- tion, whether for drinking water or wastewater treatment facilities. Besides the need to meet new requirements for our growing region, aging systems need replacing. Energy reliability is critical to our economy, and Washing- ton must pursue modernization investments to enable the grid to safely and accommodate new clean energy resources. Just before the Fourth of July, the House passed legislation addressing a number of these priorities, but more work re- mains. Congress and the White House have a once-in-a-gen- eration opportunity to enact a plan to create jobs, boost the economy, and meet infrastructure needs. James T. Brett is president & CEO of e New England Council, an alliance of businesses promoting economic growth. BY JAMES T. BRETT Special to the Worcester Business Journal James T. Brett The Worcester Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Please send submissions to Brad Kane, editor, at bkane@wbjournal.com. A T H O U SA N D WO R D S B Y D O N L A N D G R E N W