I’m not sure if this is what’s going on, but in my experience working for people working for VERY low pay and taking care of kids is that even before COVID a lot of people had to form nimble & informal networks for childcare

I have struggled to schedule meetings to prep for protective order hearings bc my client was SUPPOSED to be off work but was called in for a shift. She could go to court prepared OR she could have a job. One was clearly more important for her ongoing safety.

People don’t have margins to pay for childcare they can’t use, but need SOMEWHERE for their kids to be when they’re working. Totally speculative but when I saw the stats for CPS return, I thought about those networks, and how they are less available/acceptable in certain circles

And it makes SOME amount of sense that those networks are more reliable at this point than what CPS is offering, and might feel (be? Truly idk!) safer. I think it makes sense that we might have to make a case for a lot of people to come back in person.

It kinda boggles my mind that improving remote learning is such a sticking point under these conditions.