Cheers and fears: Kids yearn for class, teachers are uneasy

BRUSSELS (AP) — In a world turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic, rarely have so many kids relished the end of their summer vacations and rarely have so many teachers faced such anxiety. School bells will ring in a new year across much of Europe starting Tuesday but there are fears that many school are not ready to handle in-class operations safely enough. After months of lockdowns and uneven online instruction since COVID-19 hit Europe, tens of millions of kids will be unleashed upon one another in classrooms, gyms and playgrounds again. While it’s a joyous time for youngsters, parents and teachers are uneasy about how that will fuel the continent’s infection rates, which are already much higher now than in May.