By Clara Paden
Staff Writer
As seen above, Costa’s classrooms are no longer filled with plexiglass shields and are beginning to look more and more like how they did before shutting down campus in March of last year.
When Costa students finally made their return back onto campus on March 29, each desk was equipped with plexiglass screens to protect students and to meet safety guidelines. After 6 weeks back in person, new rules have allowed students and teachers to remove the plexiglass shields on desks, bringing solace to many students.
The presence of protective plexiglass shields in reopening stores and business nationwide have been common during the COVID-19 pandemic. In places like these, it’s even less of an inconvenience compared to the simple act of wearing a mask. However, in schools, plexiglass has proven to do more harm than good.
Though intended for safety, many students have complained about the troubles of plexiglass shields in the classroom. With several rows of seats in each room, moving to see the board from a seat in a back row becomes a hassle that is further impaired by the plexiglass. The plexiglass shields create an oftentimes harsh glare which makes seeing the board difficult, even from a seat near the front of the classroom.
The plexiglass shields make in school learning not quite what Costa students remember it to be. Obviously, returning to in person learning during the pandemic wasn’t going to be identical to how things were before the existence of COVID-19. Still,it came as a disappointment to students that school days would now be spent in cramped boxes. When students decided to return to campus rather than continue distance learning, many weren’t prepared for how strange it would feel.
Substantial evidence shows that plexiglass protectors don’t serve as great “protectors” at all. According to New York Magazine, plexiglass shields are effective in providing protection against large droplets, such as from coughing or sneezing, when students are close together. However, if students are wearing masks, the plexiglass adds little benefit. This raises the question of whether Costa really needs the shields in the first place if they aren’t significantly improving the safety of students.
Despite the relieving effect the removal of plexiglass has had on many students and teachers, several teachers are giving students the opportunity to keep theirs up if it makes them more comfortable. Although the ability to take down the plexiglass is a joy to some, it’s important that every student on campus is able to learn in an environment that makes them feel secure. If a student prefers to keep their plexiglass shield because it makes them feel safer, this option would greatly accommodate their needs.
Overall, students should be glad as Costa classrooms have begun to look more and more like what they looked like prior to last year’s school shutdown. The removal of the plexiglass now acts as a hopeful sign towards normalcy once again.
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