By Andrew Ujifusa
Schools may be out for the summer, but the heat is on for them to reopen in less than two months.
That was one big takeaway from a congressional hearing Tuesday, in which several senators as well as federal health officials agreed that getting children back into classrooms next fall is vital for students, their parents, and for the nation at large.
The Senate education committee hearing took place as public pressure mounts on schools to resume some form of normal operations in the upcoming academic year, due in part to concerns about a weakened economy and the long-term welfare of children and families.