So why did Brown's latest "Friday surprise" fail to make the grade? Because it created more stress for school officials and more confusion among parents and students who were suddenly confronted with mixed messages. Our newsrooms are in touch with many school superintendents and principals who say they're as eager as the governor to welcome kids back into their buildings. They know, better than she, the limitations of distance learning and the hit to kids' social and emotional health. But unlike the governor, they also have to make the buses run on time. Literally. It's tougher to open a school than to order it opened even in the best of circumstances. In the midst of an ongoing pandemic, it's exponentially harder.