Amid the ongoing debate over whether and how to reopen schools in the fall, one Arizona mother is calling for greater empathy toward high-risk children like her son Sebastian, who has a rare brain disorder that puts him at a greater risk for complications from COVID-19.

“My wish would be for everybody to have more empathy and to be on the safe side,” said Brianna Alvarez.

Alvarez says she will not put her four-year-old son back in the classroom should schools fully reopen. “I don’t know when he’s going to be going back to school because I can’t put my kid at risk,” she said.

See more from CQ Roll Call’s interview with Alvarez about her son, as the family continues to grapple with life in the Tucson area as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the state.

[ Also watch: The ABCs of school reopening ]