If this hybrid learning model has accomplished anything, it's given parents a refresher course on what it's like to be in school again.

Judging by the reaction, parents don't like the return trip.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have not been the one providing the school work help in the Clark household. Cupcake, a proud teacher herself, has been the one providing support for our high school sophomore, who is enrolled in fun courses like geometry and biology.

When it comes to math, that was always one of my top subjects. That is until someone had the great idea of introducing the alphabet into math. The two clearly don't mix.

Perhaps at some point in my life I may need to solve this problem:

3x - 2y - 11 = 0

However, I've made it this far without knowing the answer so I don't really see the value. I guess someday I could be faced with really needing to know the volume of a cone, or the area of a triangle, but that day has yet to come.

Years ago, when I was building steps to a shed, I actually used the Pythagorean Theorem to determine where to cut my board. I hope to never build steps, or use the Pythagorean Theorem, ever again.

Lost in the battle of distance learning vs. classroom learning is the question of relevant learning. We've paid great attention to where students should be taught. The more appropriate question is what they should be taught.

But I've gone on a long tangent, to use a math pun, because what I really want to talk about is the decision to return to school four days a week in Warren County.

In case you missed it, the School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night for all students to return to class four days a week Monday thru Thursday beginning Oct. 12. 

What I found amusing was the School Board voted for our kids to once again pack into classrooms while board members were sitting what looked to be 10 feet apart. 

It's not my intent to dispute the decision because there's no right or wrong answer. Kids do need to spend more time in the classroom. It's the best way to learn and the socialization is vital. But it could end up being a much worse problem if entire classrooms are forced to quarantine for two weeks.

When it comes to COVID predictions, my track record is shaky. I didn't think students should return at the beginning of the school year under the hybrid model and that worked out just fine. Then I figured as soon as teams started playing football that would spread the virus like a California wildfire and that didn't happen either. 

So perhaps I'll be wrong again and the return to school four days a week won't be an issue. Kids will learn and the virus won't spread. That would be a best-case scenario. 

As for trying to determine the area of a circle based on its radius, that's a problem where I'll never claim to have the right answer.

Standard editor James Clark can be reached at 473-2191.