Australian children are heading back to school as the country eases Covid-19 restrictions. | David Gray/Getty Images

America can (and should) save small businesses with money, but schools are what teach kids to read.

Many parents have one thing on their minds: Will schools be open in the fall?

States and cities across the country are eager to get restaurants and salons reopened this month, but they’re equivocal as to whether full-time public education will be ready to resume in September.

That’s a shame. The long-term prospects for the United States are more compromised by keeping children out of school for an extended period than they are by making people continue to delay getting their hair and nails done professionally.

There are no zero-risk activities people can undertake during this pandemic, no public health measures that don’t come with trade-offs. And when you look