Re: “Our View: ICE order takes aim at higher education” (July 10):

I agree with The Editorial Board when they write, “Rather than work to slow a revived outbreak that is setting records for new cases on a daily basis, the president hopes to fake a sense of normalcy within higher education to go along.”

COVID-19 is here to stay for a bit longer, unfortunately, and there has been no sense of “normal” for a while. It is crucial that we acknowledge this and actively work to accommodate students at higher education institutional settings, in comparison to ignoring the problem and putting students, faculty and staff at risk. We as a society should not be putting the health of others at jeopardy as the pandemic rages on and we ask individuals to return to campuses.

Institutions should not be pressured into opening for the start of the fall semester if they do not believe it is in their best interest. International students should not live in fear about the fate of their educational experience if institutions shift to an online modality. There should be exceptions made for students to ensure that they are able to continue their respective programs if there is a switch to online courses.

Whether institutions make the decision to switch to online learning or not, they should not be pressured into a decision. There needs to be leniency so that all students have a fair chance of finding success in their education endeavors. Without this change, we are setting students up to fail.

Ben Bucklin

Searsport

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