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Should colleges and universities open in person for the Fall 2020 semester? Should colleges and universities open in person for the Fall 2020 semester?
Yes – Students should be allowed back on campus for in-person classes Yes – Students should be allowed back on campus for in-person classes
No – Students should do the semester online and not come back to campus No – Students should do the semester online and not come back to campus
Depends - On outside data Depends - On outside data
Students learn better in person Students learn better in person
Colleges depend on the room and board charge Colleges depend on the room and board charge
Innovation and science depends on schools Innovation and science depends on schools
Local and national economies depend on schools Local and national economies depend on schools
Some students depend on campus housing and facilities Some students depend on campus housing and facilities
Some students depend on the structure of in-person classes Some students depend on the structure of in-person classes
It's impossible to plan ahead in such uncertain times It's impossible to plan ahead in such uncertain times
Reopening college campuses is too dangerous Reopening college campuses is too dangerous
On campus and in-person classes will only lead to outbreaks On campus and in-person classes will only lead to outbreaks
Students will congregate and spread disease Students will congregate and spread disease
Whether universities should open depends on community transmission Whether universities should open depends on community transmission
Whether universities should open depends on testing capacity Whether universities should open depends on testing capacity
Whether universities should open depends on student locations Whether universities should open depends on student locations
Whether universities should open depends on staff health concerns Whether universities should open depends on staff health concerns
Whether universities should open depends on student health concerns Whether universities should open depends on student health concerns
Debate Mini Map

Should colleges and universities open in person for the Fall 2020 semester?
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Yes – Students should be allowed back on campus for in-person classes

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Some students depend on campus housing and facilities

Many students depend on student housing and accommodation during the year – a safe and stable space conducive to learning. The COVID-19 pandemic forced colleges shut down, leaving many students who come from precarious household situations to fear for their future.
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The Argument

On-campus housing is an important feature for many students who come from unstable homes. Therefore it is important to reopen college campuses for the fall 2020 semester to guarantee all students have access to safe spaces to live and study. Attending college is a privilege in America, but not all students are privileged. When Covid-19 forced students to leave their campus dorms and return home, some found that they had nowhere to go.[1] On-campus college housing is a safety net for some students who have housing and/or food insecurity. With the help of scholarships and federal loans, living on campus can be relatively inexpensive. [2] Some students come from unstable or unsafe homes, and therefore college dorms provide a safe space for them to live for most of the year. For example, LGBT+ students whose home lives are homophobic and toxic.[1][3] Colleges offer more than just an education, they provide safety for many of their students who come from precarious backgrounds. Colleges should keep their doors open so that students have these safety nets in the fall.

Counter arguments

Premises

[P1] On-campus housing provides safe spaces for students. [P2] Not all students have stable homes to turn to if colleges go online. [P3] Therefore, colleges should allow students back onto campus.

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/poverty/487226-schools-out-because-of-coronavirus-but-not-all-students-have
  2. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/04/us/politics/coronavirus-zoom-college-classes.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article
  3. https://www.vox.com/identities/2020/3/18/21181579/campuses-close-coronavirus-lgbtq-students-nowhere
This page was last edited on Saturday, 22 Aug 2020 at 07:18 UTC

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