> The faculty is so sick that they don't have enough people to run the school.

This depends on how you define "so sick". Tested positive? Yes. Hospitalized? I bet not all (or > 1.8% [1]) of them. I notice when verbiage sensationalizes COVID. The OP, I believe, is also sensitive to this.

> Honestly, do people think children just exist in isolation?

This is the primary argument. Your two viewpoints are not mutually exclusive. He can believe that the kids are overly scared based on the statistics because, well, they are not at that much risk while at the same time recognizing that individuals not at risk put other people who are at risk in danger.

This is why we fail to have beneficial conversation, we talk around each other.

[1] https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/public-health/omicron-...