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| ‘Home-Schooling Won’t Kill Us. Covid-19 Might.’ | ‘Home-Schooling Won’t Kill Us. Covid-19 Might.’ |
| (6 days later) | |
| “Of all the American institutions the pandemic has shut down, none face pressure to reopen quite like schools do,” Sarah Darville writes in this week’s Sunday Review. | “Of all the American institutions the pandemic has shut down, none face pressure to reopen quite like schools do,” Sarah Darville writes in this week’s Sunday Review. |
| In the past few weeks we’ve heard from multiple contributors, columnists and the editorial board about whether or not schools should reopen for in-person classes this fall. And in the thousands of comments on these pieces, parents and teachers weighed the dangers and the repercussions of continued virtual learning. | In the past few weeks we’ve heard from multiple contributors, columnists and the editorial board about whether or not schools should reopen for in-person classes this fall. And in the thousands of comments on these pieces, parents and teachers weighed the dangers and the repercussions of continued virtual learning. |
| Wherever they landed, many agreed that the coronavirus crisis has brought into acute focus how vital America’s schools and child care centers are to society and how crucial they are to helping our diminished economy recover. A selection of those comments follows. They have been edited for clarity and length. | Wherever they landed, many agreed that the coronavirus crisis has brought into acute focus how vital America’s schools and child care centers are to society and how crucial they are to helping our diminished economy recover. A selection of those comments follows. They have been edited for clarity and length. |
| I love my job. It is my calling, my life’s work. I have done this for more than twenty years at the same urban public school. My students amuse me and amaze me on a daily basis. Yet the urgent desire of people who are not in education to get schools up and running, frankly, amazes me. Despite all my love for my students, I don’t really want to die for them or anyone else. Neither does my partner, who is living with cancer. It is imperative that we have a real plan in place if we have school. Teachers and students and cafeteria workers and secretaries and custodians and librarians and bus drivers all deserve to be safe while at their jobs. — Eva Lockhart, Minneapolis | I love my job. It is my calling, my life’s work. I have done this for more than twenty years at the same urban public school. My students amuse me and amaze me on a daily basis. Yet the urgent desire of people who are not in education to get schools up and running, frankly, amazes me. Despite all my love for my students, I don’t really want to die for them or anyone else. Neither does my partner, who is living with cancer. It is imperative that we have a real plan in place if we have school. Teachers and students and cafeteria workers and secretaries and custodians and librarians and bus drivers all deserve to be safe while at their jobs. — Eva Lockhart, Minneapolis |
| Of course we need to reopen schools. However, here’s a few things that need to happen: Reliable, regular and random testing seems one important criteria. In that vein, is the school nurse responsible for all this testing? Where does all the P.P.E. (personal protective equipment) come from? What about substitute teachers for regular old 24-hour bugs? How many teachers receive combat pay while being forced into mortal heroics? All of our society’s shortcomings are being exacerbated by this pandemic, and too many forget that returning to normal requires, first and foremost, controlling the virus. — James Siegel, Maine | Of course we need to reopen schools. However, here’s a few things that need to happen: Reliable, regular and random testing seems one important criteria. In that vein, is the school nurse responsible for all this testing? Where does all the P.P.E. (personal protective equipment) come from? What about substitute teachers for regular old 24-hour bugs? How many teachers receive combat pay while being forced into mortal heroics? All of our society’s shortcomings are being exacerbated by this pandemic, and too many forget that returning to normal requires, first and foremost, controlling the virus. — James Siegel, Maine |
| I’m the parent of a 12-year-old. Her experience with remote learning was adequate at best. She is very shy and it was easy for her to be missed by her teachers. Two of her teachers had problems transitioning. Does my daughter want to go back to the classroom? Yes. Do I prefer that she does? Yes. Do I want to risk her health in order for her to return to the classroom? No! Luckily I live in Massachusetts, where decisions on school reopenings are being made by intelligent, thinking people. Too bad the same can’t be said about the federal government. — Alan, Massachusetts | I’m the parent of a 12-year-old. Her experience with remote learning was adequate at best. She is very shy and it was easy for her to be missed by her teachers. Two of her teachers had problems transitioning. Does my daughter want to go back to the classroom? Yes. Do I prefer that she does? Yes. Do I want to risk her health in order for her to return to the classroom? No! Luckily I live in Massachusetts, where decisions on school reopenings are being made by intelligent, thinking people. Too bad the same can’t be said about the federal government. — Alan, Massachusetts |
| I’m a parent of a first grader and remote learning is a disaster. My kid only had one hour of remote learning a day. The one hour was far from smooth (interruptions, technology issues). I had to teach my child the rest of the day while trying to keep up with my job. Not everyone has one parent staying at home who can home-school the kids. Some parents actually have to go to the office in the fall. Basically, if young kids are home, one parent has to quit their job. Teachers should take the proper precautions (masks and sanitizer) and come to school to teach. — DK, New Jersey | I’m a parent of a first grader and remote learning is a disaster. My kid only had one hour of remote learning a day. The one hour was far from smooth (interruptions, technology issues). I had to teach my child the rest of the day while trying to keep up with my job. Not everyone has one parent staying at home who can home-school the kids. Some parents actually have to go to the office in the fall. Basically, if young kids are home, one parent has to quit their job. Teachers should take the proper precautions (masks and sanitizer) and come to school to teach. — DK, New Jersey |
| There isn’t anyone involved in schools or children’s lives who doesn’t want to see children return to school safely. But we are not yet safe. Tell me how to get a 6-year-old to not sneeze on his friends let alone play and work from a distance (mucus, saliva, pee, poop, this is all part of our day at the lower levels of education). Tell me how each child is going to have her own supplies for the day as shared supplies are no longer an option. No more Legos, no more books. Tell me how to comfort a hysterical child from a distance of six feet. Tell me how to have a socially distanced active shooter drill. Seriously, tell me. Because no one wants to go back to school more than I do. — Anna B, Westchester, N.Y. | There isn’t anyone involved in schools or children’s lives who doesn’t want to see children return to school safely. But we are not yet safe. Tell me how to get a 6-year-old to not sneeze on his friends let alone play and work from a distance (mucus, saliva, pee, poop, this is all part of our day at the lower levels of education). Tell me how each child is going to have her own supplies for the day as shared supplies are no longer an option. No more Legos, no more books. Tell me how to comfort a hysterical child from a distance of six feet. Tell me how to have a socially distanced active shooter drill. Seriously, tell me. Because no one wants to go back to school more than I do. — Anna B, Westchester, N.Y. |
| I am baffled every time I read that remote learning was a “joke” or a “disaster.” I spent 12 or more hours a day teaching live lessons, providing written feedback on student work, making instructional videos, meeting remotely with students one on one, planning lessons, calling students and parents, and even making socially distant “house calls.” Yes, it was hard. I know this was not the ideal way for many students to learn. But the biggest barrier to online education was not the lack of teacher effort; it was the absence of student accountability. You can’t expect students to learn if they aren’t even required to show up. I say give remote learning another chance, because when we start seeing the consequences of a hasty return to school, we will have to anyway. — Carolyn, Princeton, N.J. | I am baffled every time I read that remote learning was a “joke” or a “disaster.” I spent 12 or more hours a day teaching live lessons, providing written feedback on student work, making instructional videos, meeting remotely with students one on one, planning lessons, calling students and parents, and even making socially distant “house calls.” Yes, it was hard. I know this was not the ideal way for many students to learn. But the biggest barrier to online education was not the lack of teacher effort; it was the absence of student accountability. You can’t expect students to learn if they aren’t even required to show up. I say give remote learning another chance, because when we start seeing the consequences of a hasty return to school, we will have to anyway. — Carolyn, Princeton, N.J. |
| Kids can indeed learn well remotely. My kids did online public school for three years before we started home-schooling. They learned great and did very well. Parents need to step up and step in to educate their kids. This insanity that kids need to be in a classroom setting is foolish. Home-schooled kids thrive every day. — Nikki G., Pahrump, Nev. | Kids can indeed learn well remotely. My kids did online public school for three years before we started home-schooling. They learned great and did very well. Parents need to step up and step in to educate their kids. This insanity that kids need to be in a classroom setting is foolish. Home-schooled kids thrive every day. — Nikki G., Pahrump, Nev. |
| I raised three children and the truth is all this nonsense about not having traditional school being detrimental is just that, nonsense. Kids are very resilient and they get their cues from adults. Education is far more than just classroom instruction. I believe all this drama about opening schools is causing far more damage to our children than the quarantine itself. It’s fairly obvious to most people that you cannot open schools in high-rate Covid areas like South Florida. The kids will be fine, it’s the adults that need to get their act together. — Mike L, South Carolina | I raised three children and the truth is all this nonsense about not having traditional school being detrimental is just that, nonsense. Kids are very resilient and they get their cues from adults. Education is far more than just classroom instruction. I believe all this drama about opening schools is causing far more damage to our children than the quarantine itself. It’s fairly obvious to most people that you cannot open schools in high-rate Covid areas like South Florida. The kids will be fine, it’s the adults that need to get their act together. — Mike L, South Carolina |
| I’m a nurse who works in a school, and I believe we need to go back. The kids are suffering, and many are “non-engagers”; that is, they are not participating in online classes. I worry about many students who have unstable homes and need to have eyes on them. I’m a bit taken aback by the author’s background as a nurse. We go where we are needed most, and I have a few hundred students who need me. The risk to the health of the children appears to be minimal; severe illness is very rare. In balancing that risk against the real risks of abuse, isolation and neglect, I strongly believe it is better for us to return to school. — Molly B., Pittsburgh | I’m a nurse who works in a school, and I believe we need to go back. The kids are suffering, and many are “non-engagers”; that is, they are not participating in online classes. I worry about many students who have unstable homes and need to have eyes on them. I’m a bit taken aback by the author’s background as a nurse. We go where we are needed most, and I have a few hundred students who need me. The risk to the health of the children appears to be minimal; severe illness is very rare. In balancing that risk against the real risks of abuse, isolation and neglect, I strongly believe it is better for us to return to school. — Molly B., Pittsburgh |
| I’m a 20-year middle and high school teacher. I have a job because your children go to a public school. If we insist on continuing this insanity, we are going to be facing some long-term damage, with social-emotional being the category that takes the hardest hit. I went into this profession to be of service to my students. If I have to wear P.P.E. (which my school is providing) and we have to do things a bit differently (labs will look different now, for instance), then so be it! We need to suck it up or get out. — Boni, California | I’m a 20-year middle and high school teacher. I have a job because your children go to a public school. If we insist on continuing this insanity, we are going to be facing some long-term damage, with social-emotional being the category that takes the hardest hit. I went into this profession to be of service to my students. If I have to wear P.P.E. (which my school is providing) and we have to do things a bit differently (labs will look different now, for instance), then so be it! We need to suck it up or get out. — Boni, California |
| The gaps between students will become more and more apparent the longer schools stay closed. My son just finished first grade. He has progressed an additional year in math and several years in reading ability since school was canceled in March. Why? Because his mother has a B.S. in chemical engineering, a J.D. from a T14 law school and is an experienced teacher. But for his classmates whose parents don’t speak English, there’s no way they can catch up. The surest way to exacerbate inequality is to close schools. — MN, Portland | The gaps between students will become more and more apparent the longer schools stay closed. My son just finished first grade. He has progressed an additional year in math and several years in reading ability since school was canceled in March. Why? Because his mother has a B.S. in chemical engineering, a J.D. from a T14 law school and is an experienced teacher. But for his classmates whose parents don’t speak English, there’s no way they can catch up. The surest way to exacerbate inequality is to close schools. — MN, Portland |
| I teach at a private school in New York City and in the last couple of weeks we’ve been cc’d on a number of emails from the school’s president being sent out to parents about plans to reopen. Not a single email has been directed to us — the teachers — about how we’ll be protected and compensated. The way politicians have been talking about the virus and kids as carriers, you’d think the entire student population is in elementary school. I teach high school students, kids that are biologically inclined to share spit with each other. My particular students are special education. The risks go far beyond families needing to get back to work to stimulate the economy. This is about protecting people in a marginalized career. Once again, public servants are forced to martyr themselves for the good of the private sector. — Dave, New York City | I teach at a private school in New York City and in the last couple of weeks we’ve been cc’d on a number of emails from the school’s president being sent out to parents about plans to reopen. Not a single email has been directed to us — the teachers — about how we’ll be protected and compensated. The way politicians have been talking about the virus and kids as carriers, you’d think the entire student population is in elementary school. I teach high school students, kids that are biologically inclined to share spit with each other. My particular students are special education. The risks go far beyond families needing to get back to work to stimulate the economy. This is about protecting people in a marginalized career. Once again, public servants are forced to martyr themselves for the good of the private sector. — Dave, New York City |
| The government has never granted parents the right to child care. In the eyes of the state, school and child care are different. Our teachers had to strike a few years ago for higher wages. Our district is constantly piling on more administrative requirements. We’ve decided it’s OK that teachers and students can be killed in their classrooms by a deranged gunman, and we expect teachers to solve problems caused by poverty. If I were a teacher, I would leave as well. I’d be tired of sacrificing myself. — Alicia, Seattle | The government has never granted parents the right to child care. In the eyes of the state, school and child care are different. Our teachers had to strike a few years ago for higher wages. Our district is constantly piling on more administrative requirements. We’ve decided it’s OK that teachers and students can be killed in their classrooms by a deranged gunman, and we expect teachers to solve problems caused by poverty. If I were a teacher, I would leave as well. I’d be tired of sacrificing myself. — Alicia, Seattle |
| The needs of children and working parents were ignored by American lawmakers in spectacular, unanimous, bipartisan fashion when the CARES act was passed. Our lawmakers put allocating the money school districts desperately needed way down at the bottom of the priority list and slathered trillions on corporate America without even bothering to ensure oversight. Democrats should have insisted that all the money schools and our children would need be included in that first bill, no matter how bitter the fight. Home-schooling our children was brutal this spring. My wife and I will rise to the challenge and do better. Home-schooling won’t kill us. Covid-19 might. — Joe, New York | The needs of children and working parents were ignored by American lawmakers in spectacular, unanimous, bipartisan fashion when the CARES act was passed. Our lawmakers put allocating the money school districts desperately needed way down at the bottom of the priority list and slathered trillions on corporate America without even bothering to ensure oversight. Democrats should have insisted that all the money schools and our children would need be included in that first bill, no matter how bitter the fight. Home-schooling our children was brutal this spring. My wife and I will rise to the challenge and do better. Home-schooling won’t kill us. Covid-19 might. — Joe, New York |
| Third-generation teacher here, with a master’s degree in teaching. Who will teach all of those kids in all of those extra spaces? Do you picture me running back and forth between the gym and my classroom? Do you care if there are qualified teachers doing the work? Am I just a babysitter? Keep me safe next year and you’ll keep me in the profession. Treat us like babysitters and you’ll lose a generation of teachers who even before Covid sacrificed a lot for children and their families. — EWilson, Olympia, Wash. | |
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