1. A lot of conversations have come up since my article was published today, especially in parents groups on Facebook. There are many ideas that I couldn’t fit within a single op-ed, so I want to add a few points & additional ideas that have been raised. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/22/opinion/pandemic-pods-schools.html

2. One of the things that prompted me to write this piece was that I was so disturbed by the speed with which white privileged families were organizing themselves to form pods. The issue of online schooling is both terrifying and time sensitive.

3. But white people really need to pause and ask themselves why they are so quick to organize, act, and secure advantages for their own children, but not when it comes to Black and Brown children.

4. As @dalgoso wrote this morning, “For those of us who are just now learning that those in power don’t really care about our kids: maybe we need to sit with that disparity for a minute, even as we scramble to do the best we can for our kids in the coming months.”

5. This is a reflection of the larger conversation right now. Many white folks are being forced to see white supremacy for the first time, & they want to get out of the discomfort as soon as possible, so they rush to action & answers. But this thing is 400 years in the making.

6. I am seeing a lot of privileged white people saying, “Ok I hear your concerns, so I’ll do pods, but do them equitably.” But the thing is, I actually don’t think pods can be done equitably if you are not already in community w/ Black, Latinx, and/or low-income families.

7. White people deciding what equity looks like is not equity.

Like I wrote in the piece, I do not have the answers, and I should not have them. They can't come from me.

8. However, learning pods are not inherently inequitable. There is a rich tradition in this country of Black & Brown folks homeschooling & forming alternative spaces precisely because of the racism in American schooling.

9. But my article was really targeted at white folks. I understand that some people have no other option than to participate in pods because they will lose their jobs if they don’t. I am very empathetic to that impossible struggle, which I know hits women hardest.

10. But I do think a lot of other people really need to step back and think about if this is really the case for their family. Many people have the capacity to work from home and keep their kids at home, even if it is VERY hard for both the adults and kids.

11. Privileged white people need to be clear with themselves about why they are participating in pods - is it socialization, academics, or childcare? If your concern is socialization or academics, I really don’t think you need to do a learning pod.

12. There are other ways to ensure socialization for your children that do not as severely perpetuate inequities like the ones described in my op-ed. Academically, your child will be okay. They will likely have a lifetime of enrichment - tutors, camp, trips, extracurriculars.

13. There have been amazing ideas shared today, including some by @JessicaCalarco. But I urge folks to be cautious of a silver bullet, a way out of this crisis & hundreds of years of racism in schools with something as simple as paying for another child to participate in your pod

14. Lastly, I know several parents with children with autism who are deeply invested in getting this right. If folks have specific recommendations or ideas for these families, or folks that might be in similar situations, please share.