Before-and-after photos show how the pandemic has changed classroom setups

Cydni built plastic shields for her classroom this year.@cydni_erin/Instagram

• Classrooms look drastically different this year as teachers prepare for in-person classes during the pandemic.
• While some teachers have spaced desks apart, others have added shields to their tables.
• Scientists are unsure if these measures will be enough to prevent students and teachers from contracting the virus.

Over the summer, school leaders, government officials, teachers, and parents engaged in a debate on whether students should be physically back in a classroom this school year.

Many schools have decided the answer is yes.

As schools across the country reopen, many are implementing guidelines designed to lower the risk of spreading and contracting the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued recommended guidelines for reopening schools, which includes the use of face masks, social distancing, and regularly washing hands.

Scientists and researchers are unsure whether these measures will be enough to prevent the spread of the virus indoors, but many teachers don't have the option of staying home.

Instead, they've redesigned their classrooms and plan to welcome students back with a smile, even if it's hidden underneath a mask. Take a look inside seven teachers' classrooms.