Read on Twitter
This is really important. There are rallies, there is media attention, and there is a shift in media coverage. What is also happening behind the scenes in cities like NYC is that large groups of parents are working w/ elected officials to #keepNYCschoolsopen. (Thread) https://twitter.com/amandakfried/status/1335831633367199744
You may be surprised to know that some electeds were not aware that the EU reopened their schools in Aug/Sept, mostly FULL TIME (no hybrid, no remote), with far fewer precautions than what NYC and other US cities are demanding.
At the city and state level, our electeds often rely on their leader - Mayor and/or Governor's health advisors to disseminate information. Some had not been updated on school safety since APRIL.
Some were shocked that Europe had made a POLICY decision to close their schools last and reopen them first, even IN A SECOND WAVE, simply because they recognize that in-person learning is worth the low risk of COVID spread in a classroom. This is a policy decision.
If you look at the recent news re CDC recs (post Biden), we are beginning to follow what the EU has already proven could be an effective strategy.
But this information takes time to trickle down to state/local elected officials - this is where political pressure through parental advocacy comes in.
Prior to this, many had only been hearing from their Mayor/Governor, or perhaps directly from their campaign donors (and yes, Teachers' Unions are an enormous source of funding for Democratic campaigns at the state/local level across the US).
What has been missing is the push from parents to help them understand a) how the science has now become consensus and b) what their children are missing when they do not have in-person learning.
Do not be afraid to get on the phone, be relentless w/ your emails, schedule Zoom mtgs, organize a large group of parents, and keep going until you are heard. Teachers' Unions are lobbyists and they have already shown how effective they are at doing this. It's our turn.
And finally, we need to be willing to vote out every elected official who refuses to acknowledge expert opinions that the risk of COVID is outweighed by the benefits of school. And we need to let them know that this is our wedge issue and we will VOTE THEM OUT.
