Read on Twitter
1/8 I’m all for showing public appreciation for workers who are on the frontlines of this virus. But when this clears I hope the same folks who are clapping on the streets will support public health care, living wages, and benefits that can support a family.
2/8 Too often in this country we rely on individual acts of charity and private contributions to deal with longstanding, structural problems that require government intervention and systemic policy changes.
3/8 For example, a principal at a public school in Newark had to personally find and deliver over 500 computers to her students during this crisis so they could learn remotely. https://www.tapinto.net/towns/newark/sections/education/articles/avon-avenue-school-principal-gets-surprise-donation-of-125-laptops
4/8 This was after she found a law firm to donate their services so she could make 100,000 copies of materials for her students to take home for remote instruction. Yes, you read that correctly.
5/8 Turns out many of the kids don’t have access to the internet so now she has to figure out another plan to make sure they don’t lose months of instruction.
6/8 This principal is kickass amazing and heroically dedicated to her students. And I’m sure there are many, many more like her who are rising to the occasion in unprecedented ways.
7/8 Which leads me to ask why we tolerate systems that work only because of the heroism and self-sacrifice of selfless people.
8/8 Whether in public education or health care, we need public policies that default to equity and justice. Fairness shouldn’t be a bonus. It should be built into the system.
