Returning students should be welcomed

There’s an ugly discussion going on right now in Tompkins County. It involves the college students returning to Tompkins County for the fall semester. The discussion has gone from should the schools reopen to how will they reopen to becoming incendiary and unwelcoming toward students.

There’s a lot to process as we look at students coming back, and I’ll focus on Cornell since it’s the largest institution. Cornell has teamed with Cayuga Medical Center and Tompkins County Health Department to form a plan that they and I believe can reopen the campus safely.

Cornell is having a town hall tonight, Wednesday, July 29 at 7 p.m. for Lansing residents. Cornell has been holding many sessions to address its reopening plans, which include testing, quarantining, masking and a shortened semester. To see the plan updates, you can visit covid.cornell.edu.

I understand that some folks are fearful that COVID-19 will surge in Tompkins when students return. I’ve repeatedly received a generic form letter saying the person is “terrified” of students returning.

This saddens me. For many students, this is their home, and seeing many of the comments on social media, they’re finding their home has become increasingly hostile to them. Ithaca is a college town; it’s why many have chosen to live here.

Is there risk from COVID-19? Yes, but walling off Tompkins County or New York state, treating people from some states like lepers is far from a reasoned and just policy. Many of those who once fought against tightened U.S. border security now want strict borders at the county line for students.

Many are arguing this is a business decision by Cornell, but I’m not that cynical. While it’s true that reopening Cornell is important to our local economy, the students are not just dollar signs. We should be proud that our county is educating the next generation of leaders and innovators and proud to have one of the top 20 universities in the world right here.

I understand right now it’s just one semester, but is it? Maybe it will be a year, or until a vaccine is found, or until a vaccine has been given to x number of people. The pause on innovation does damage too; the pause on putting this next generation of minds to work has a cost.

Writing of the dawn of the atomic age when people thought the atomic bomb would kill everyone, C.S. Lewis wrote “do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation.”

In that, he meant, the atom bomb was just the latest in a long line of plagues threatening our lives, whether it’s the 16th century bubonic plague, Viking raiders or syphilis. COVID-19 is the latest, but it will be defeated and likely by someone who studied at a university.

Lewis also wrote of the atom bomb “to not be afraid, but to rather continue on with your life. … Let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things – praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts.”

Dealing with COVID-19 will involve an assessment of risk, just as everything in life does. Is COVID-19 dangerous and infectious? Yes. Are we in Tompkins County as prepared as we can be for a surge in cases? Yes.

The solution to COVID-19 and COVID-29 and COVID-37 will not come from cutting ourselves off, but by strengthening our scientific ties and not treating our students as if they are bringing death and destruction to our shores.

Many people contend that the government can stop the spread of this disease. While the government clearly has a role, it’s ultimately up to the individual. No law can make someone wear a mask, but I can choose my level of exposure.

This lesson is not that far from what was taught in sex education. No law can force someone to wear protection during sex; that is up to you.

Some are advocating for a police crackdown of mask and gathering size ordinances. It’s hard to reconcile those calls with calls for cuts in policing for what most consider more serious crimes.

A vast majority of people are not contagious, and yet, those asking for greater enforcement would treat everyone as if they are willfully infecting others. It’s not a sustainable position, nor should it be. The result is what we see today, an attitude that every student is infected and should be shunned. To me, that’s “terrifying.”

If you want to come to tonight’s town hall, please send any questions or issues you have to to kds95@cornell.edu today. Questions are also welcome during the session. To join the Zoom Meeting go to: cornell.zoom.us/j/91908132643?pwd=MU1ldFAzTjZLakplMmlWN3lLVjQ1Zz09. The meeting ID is 919 0813 2643, passcode 234078.