In Florida and Virginia, Governors Ron DeSantis and Glenn Youngkin are bolstering the right of parents to defy school mask mandates. While some parents are celebrating, others are filing lawsuits opposing the policies that make mask-wearing in schools optional.

There are a lot of opinions about how schools should be run during the pandemic, but some key voices are often missing from the conversation – students and teachers.

Over the last few weeks, amid a nationwide surge of coronavirus cases, students across the country have staged walkouts to emphasize various COVID mitigation measures they would like to see implemented. We'll hear from some of those students.

And we'll speak to a teacher in Arizona who understands how difficult it is, as a parent, community member and school staffer, to find the right balance between physical health, mental health and educational priorities.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

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Amid Covid Surge, Students And Teachers Want To Be Heard

Consider This from NPR

Amid Covid Surge, Students And Teachers Want To Be Heard