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It feels like a lot of people really want to make "should we have in-person K-12 school in the fall" a simple yes/no question and I just want to share some observations from covering a large school district during all this. https://www.salemreporter.com/posts/2635/salem-keizer-students-report-little-social-contact-or-academic-challenge-during-two-months-of-distance-learning
First - whatever people's position is, I see a lot of framing as if this is only a question of one thing and it's not.
It's an education question, an equity question, a child development question, a labor question, a workforce participation question & a gender equality question.
It's an education question, an equity question, a child development question, a labor question, a workforce participation question & a gender equality question.
During the 3 months @salemkeizer schools were closed I talked to a lot of teachers & parents putting in Herculean efforts to help kids learn. A couple parents reported online school worked better for them, but by and large, most ppl reported things were hard & not working.
Last week I reported on a district survey of parents, students & staff. The takeaway was that classes were not academically rigorous, at all, and kids were pretty isolated.
Survey respondents skewed whiter & more English speaking than the district. https://www.salemreporter.com/posts/2635/salem-keizer-students-report-little-social-contact-or-academic-challenge-during-two-months-of-distance-learning
Survey respondents skewed whiter & more English speaking than the district. https://www.salemreporter.com/posts/2635/salem-keizer-students-report-little-social-contact-or-academic-challenge-during-two-months-of-distance-learning
Schools are educational institutions, but they also serve a massive practical function - free childcare for most of the workday.
There is no practical way for many parents/families to keep working if they have young kids at home & are expected to help w/school.
There is no practical way for many parents/families to keep working if they have young kids at home & are expected to help w/school.
This district survey notes a whole host of inequities from at-home learning - from Islander and Latino parents having language barriers with online learning platforms to kids at poorer schools generally reporting a less positive experience.
Some of these issues can be better addressed with a carefully-developed online curriculum rather than a hastily-put together plan as we had in the spring.
But I have yet to see anything suggesting remedies that could even reasonably begin to correct for these inequities.
But I have yet to see anything suggesting remedies that could even reasonably begin to correct for these inequities.
One number that stuck out from my district - only 11% of Salem-Keizer teachers felt they could adequately help kids who are the most challenged to do well in school through distance learning.
There are also a bunch of school employees who are high risk for Covid. And they're especially likely to be bus drivers, aides, and other jobs that can't be done remotely.
Teachers unions are in the midst of very intense bargaining over Oregon reopening plans right now.
Teachers unions are in the midst of very intense bargaining over Oregon reopening plans right now.
So, I don't have a solution because every possible option here sucks for someone.
But - acting like this is only an issue of the (smaller absolute) risk for kids ignores kids with preexisting/high risk conditions & employees in high risk groups.
But - acting like this is only an issue of the (smaller absolute) risk for kids ignores kids with preexisting/high risk conditions & employees in high risk groups.
Acting like cancelling all in person school is a no-brainer ignores that even w/best possible planning, you're likely condemning a generation of kids to worse achievement gaps & forcing a lot of parents (disproportionately women) to choose between their kid's education & work.
And by the way - teachers have their own kids too. 50% in Salem-Keizer reported they were caring for their own kids at home while also trying to teach. 30% said they spent more than 3 hours/day on their own kids' distance learning - while also teaching classes.
Some of these trade-offs could be mitigated and I'm sure some of you have grand plans for restructuring society.
But there is a fundamental tension between the needs of working class parents with essential jobs & the desire to minimize all possible Covid risk.
But there is a fundamental tension between the needs of working class parents with essential jobs & the desire to minimize all possible Covid risk.
And none of this is meant to devalue the work of teachers, educators and parents who worked incredibly hard to make a very difficult time work as well as they could. This spring was chaos for everyone & I saw how much many teachers were sad. and worried for their students
Addendum with SCIENCE https://twitter.com/elizashapiro/status/1280602846183018496
