An excerpt from the draft:
Grocery shopping after work was a poor choice. Worn out from teaching her class of fourth-graders and a faculty meeting where the principal waxed lyrical about the health and safety rating of the school she had no mental energy left to process the glaring lights of the grocery store and its terrible excuse for produce. Skipping the rest of the overpriced produce she headed for the frozen food section, grabbed a frozen hand-made burrito and decided it would do.
Waiting for the cheese in her burrito to cool down, she thought about what the principal had to say about the improved safety rating of the school. Looking at the numbers, she had quickly calculated that the improvements started when outdoor recesses were cancelled. Having no break from the kids for recess and lunch was exhausting. On days when the sun shone, the UV rating was too high for the kids to go out without eye protection and a thick layer of sunscreen. The rain ruined clothing and coats, and parents preferred that the kids stayed inside.
Rain days were one thing, but sun days? She shook her head. Although the alternative would be akin to getting kids in and out of snowsuits, like back in her day. Most of the playtime would be taken up by gathering and ensuring that little Myckealah and Taelor had enough sunscreen on. And the right sunscreen: many people attributed certain kinds with increased risk of cancer and thought that “good, old fashioned sunshine” was safer. TThese were the unvaccinated “free range” kids, whose parents all had early onset cataracts and raised scars from mole removals.