Education versus a Pandemic
Education isn’t winning.
Schools return the week of January 3rd amidst a worsening pandemic. 2021 ended with the U.S. breaking daily infection rates, seeing increased hospitalizations, and a growing number of students becoming infected.
My district will provide KN95 masks and home test kits but is hesitant to return to remote learning. The governor doesn’t want it to happen and neither does the state education director. But Omicron, the dominant variant in the COVID saga, doesn’t care about what they want.
Teachers are fearful of returning to classrooms with students who haven’t received their vaccinations. Parents worry about how prepared schools will be for returning students. Students have been receiving education under tense circumstances which could impact their learning for years to come.
Education is not winning in this pandemic. Whether districts do in-person, hybrid, or remote learning, students are learning under duress. Teachers are teaching under stress. Learning is not doing well.
District leaders need to reassess how to educate during a pandemic. Present strategies aren’t working. Students need laptops and chargers or at least Ipads. Teachers should have the option to instruct from home. Online resources should be provided to families to keep the learning going.
In addition, district leaders need to discuss the elephant in the room- student vaccinations. Students need to return to school fully vaccinated. It’s not a choice anymore — the variant has determined that. It’s just too risky to send students to school unprotected. Vaccinations and boosters are the best defense against the virus.
I understand the fear and hesitancy, but as a parent, I wouldn’t send my children to school if students weren’t vaccinated for measles, mumps, or rubella. So, why not COVID? This virus is just as, if not more so, dangerous.
The second half of the 2021–2022 school year will be challenging. There will be a lot of students and staff absent due to COVID. There will be schools shutting down for remote learning. Education will continue to be disrupted until the virus calms down.
Let’s just hope a deadlier variant isn’t waiting in the wings.
