Here we are during the most challenging public health crisis of our time and Gov. Chris Sununu, as led by Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut, has embraced a willful absence of leadership. The recent release of the “K-12 Back to School Guidance” is not only confusing to interpret for local school districts, it also fails to identify the resources that will be provided to ensure that schools can implement the clear science of infection control to keep our children, teachers, and staff safe.

While the nation’s failure to proactively mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic has eliminated our chance at an early return to “normal” school and work life, Gov. Sununu had an opportunity to demonstrate the necessary leadership to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 so we could return to school safely. Instead, Gov. Sununu handed off the responsibility to local school districts to implement infection control procedures, while withholding the resources necessary to do so. This will almost certainly result in us having to close down just as quickly as we are reopening, thus prolonging an already extremely difficult situation.

It is unacceptable that our local school districts are on their own as they do the complex work of preparing comprehensive systems to keep our children, teachers, and staff safe while providing education. This failure puts lives at risk, jeopardizes our relatively low rate of COVID-19 in New Hampshire, and almost certainly prolongs any chance of economic recovery for the Granite State.

While the “K-12 Back to School Guidance” is vague, the science is absolutely clear. Effective infection control includes these low-cost measures: frequent hand-washing, masks, and social distancing of at least six feet. The guidance released by Gov. Sununu and Commissioner Edelblut does not require any of these low-cost measures, and instead asserts that these evidence-based, scientifically proven methods are negotiable. The only clear priority that has emerged from the governor’s guidance is his need to play partisan politics during a public health crisis.

We understand that navigating the return to school is immensely complex, yet the science of infection control is clear. Let that be our guide while we balance and address with laser focus the physical and mental health and safety of children, teachers, and school staff; quality and quantity of direct instruction; resources for students in need of special education and emotional support; and the very real economic needs of working families.

Because you know what is more uncomfortable than wearing a mask? Losing a loved one to an uncontrolled disease because our leadership was more concerned about political backlash than protecting our most vulnerable Granite Staters.

We urgently need a properly resourced plan from our leaders that is prescriptive, evidence based, and contains concrete models for districts to choose from that are responsive enough to address a diversity of needs. These kinds of decisions cannot be downshifted to individual districts and school boards to be addressed and solved without financial support. We need leadership from our government, not leaders who hide behind the false notion of “local control” when it’s convenient. The science of infection control remains consistent no matter the location or school district. Let us remember in November that Gov. Sununu discharged his responsibility to lead at a critical time in our state and let’s replace him with leadership that is ready to protect us.

(Jenn Alford-Teaster is a scientist, geographer, mom, and candidate for N.H. Senate District 8. Becky Whitley is a lawyer, child health advocate, mom, and candidate for N.H. Senate District 15.)