In Europe, schools are open — and reopening — without alarm over variants and without vaccinated teachers.

Journalists in the United States are increasingly casting doubt on Joe Biden’s “100-day goal” for reopening “a majority of K-8 schools” by noting that the rise of contagious virus variants and slow progress vaccinating teachers threaten the plan’s viability. The Wall Street Journal wrote today:

President Biden’s pledge to reopen most K-8 schools in his first 100 days is being challenged by new fast-spreading coronavirus strains, a slow vaccination rollout, uncertainty over economic-relief legislation and clashes between state authorities and teachers’ unions.

And Axios wrote two days ago:

Biden’s team is grappling with some reopening challenges advisers didn’t foresee in December, when Biden made his explicit 100-day promise. They include delays in vaccine rollouts and the emergence of new virus strains.

So, if U.S. schools can’t open without eliminating the “variants” and vaccinating teachers — something the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just said is unnecessary — surely the infamously risk-averse European countries are facing the same dilemma, right? Wrong.

Despite being linked to the birthplace of the highly contagious “British variant” by a high-speed rail tunnel, France never considered closing its schools last month as the British variant spread throughout the country, although it is introducing…