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This has been said many times, but worth saying daily.
School closures are the biggest crisis of this pandemic. The effects will be with us for generations - harm to children, families, the future of public ed, support for labor, & political disruption. https://calmatters.org/education/2021/01/california-schools-record-enrollment-drop/
School closures are the biggest crisis of this pandemic. The effects will be with us for generations - harm to children, families, the future of public ed, support for labor, & political disruption. https://calmatters.org/education/2021/01/california-schools-record-enrollment-drop/
Some of these families may return when schools reopen, but many will not.
Some of these children are missing from society. We don't know if/when they will return, and what is happening to them in the meantime. https://www.npr.org/2020/12/29/948866982/a-quiet-and-unsettling-pandemic-toll-students-whove-fallen-off-the-grid
Some of these children are missing from society. We don't know if/when they will return, and what is happening to them in the meantime. https://www.npr.org/2020/12/29/948866982/a-quiet-and-unsettling-pandemic-toll-students-whove-fallen-off-the-grid
Some come from MC & affluent families - who may discover that their child is actually thriving w/ a private teacher, pod, microschool, or a private school.
They are not likely to return. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-21/affluent-families-ditch-public-schools-widening-u-s-inequality
They are not likely to return. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-21/affluent-families-ditch-public-schools-widening-u-s-inequality
Why would you return to what is essentially a sub-par service if you have figured out that the alternative can provide your child with an advantage?
The problem is that when the middle class divests from a public service, that service tends to fall apart.
The problem is that when the middle class divests from a public service, that service tends to fall apart.
And it will be the least privileged in society who have no choice but to continue to use a chronically underfunded public education system, even in areas where public education was previously well supported. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/22/us/public-schools-face-a-funding-death-spiral-as-enrollment-falls-during-remote-learning.html
We have to ask ourselves if this was worth it. If this was truly the only course of action - but I think we know the answer.
Some countries began to reopen in Spring, paving the way for us. A few Journalists were at the forefront, covering this. https://www.wired.com/story/the-case-for-reopening-schools/
Some countries began to reopen in Spring, paving the way for us. A few Journalists were at the forefront, covering this. https://www.wired.com/story/the-case-for-reopening-schools/
Most US outlets ignored the positive data from across the EU on schools, planting fear, sowing doubt and distrust.
Outlets like "Fast Company" highlighted the success in Europe - but that was ignored because tying anything to the "economy" were taboo. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/how-other-countries-reopened-schools-during-covid-19-and-what-the-us-could-learn/ar-BB17aMNj
Outlets like "Fast Company" highlighted the success in Europe - but that was ignored because tying anything to the "economy" were taboo. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/how-other-countries-reopened-schools-during-covid-19-and-what-the-us-could-learn/ar-BB17aMNj
We had an incredible example from right here in NYC. REC Centers were opened during the height of the pandemic in the Spring, w/ far fewer precautions than in a DOE classroom today, and w/o issue.
Why wasn't this considered a model for schools? https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-local-correspondents/the-new-york-city-schools-that-didnt-close
Why wasn't this considered a model for schools? https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-local-correspondents/the-new-york-city-schools-that-didnt-close
We know why - Some politicians chose to listen to a special interest group whose sole purpose is to protect their own members at all costs, societal destruction be damned. And that's what those politicians did. https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/12/school-reopening-teachers-unions-parents-brookline-massachusetts.html
It's not a coincidence that half of US children are in a classroom right now, and the other half are not.
And there continues to be a 0 relationship between community spread and areas where schools are open, or never opened at all.
There is, however, a political relationship.
And there continues to be a 0 relationship between community spread and areas where schools are open, or never opened at all.
There is, however, a political relationship.
Fast forward to where we are now. Parents in these unlucky states have been gaslit for months - watching every goal post move - months & months of ridiculous demands above & beyond what any employee would ever dream of. And still no plans. https://www.wired.com/story/the-ethics-of-vaccinating-teachers-and-keeping-schools-closed/
