When the United States first began dealing with the coronavirus pandemic earlier in the year, no one knew what to expect in the months that followed. Now, we’re weeks away from the beginning of what should be the start of another regular school year.
Opening schools in the midst of a very real public health crisis is new territory for everyone. Unfortunately, too many have treated the situation as yet another political talking point. This is to the detriment of all.
President Trump and his administration have been insistent that schools reopen. During a recent appearance on Fox News, Secretary of Education Betsy Devos said, “Parents are expecting that this fall their kids are going to have a full-time experience with their learning, and we need to follow through on that promise,” adding that “kids cannot afford to not continue learning.”
Meanwhile, United Teachers Los Angeles has gone beyond the basic list of virus-related concerns and includes issues of race and police brutality in its letter that addresses reopening. Clearly, there is a deep disconnect between groups that oversee education at both the local and national levels. Even some parents who want their children’s schools reopened have balked at extra safety measures such as masks, as made evident by a contentious meeting this week between them and the Utah County Commission.
In the midst of the turmoil, adding more division will have a lasting impact on children, parents, schools, and communities. We must remember that not only is it impossible to make everyone happy right now, but responses to fallout from the larger issue of the pandemic cannot be one-size-fits-all.
Since the start of the pandemic, different segments of the country have been dealing with their own unique crises. While New York City and the state itself struggled with devastating numbers of infections and deaths, other major cities and states did not see the same. Now, as New York sees improved numbers, Texas, California, Arizona, and Florida are among the states dealing with unanticipated spikes. If states are not uniform in their history with the virus or response to it, we should not expect that all school districts will look the same.
As community leaders consider how education will look this fall, their top priority should not be about pleasing politicians who are either for or against reopening. Most of all, their decisions must be centered on the science that we know and also the most effective ways to combat the virus. This means that some districts will make few changes as teachers and children return to the classroom. Others in harder-hit areas may include heavily enforced masking, social distancing, and a combination of online and in-person learning in order to fulfill standard requirements. As each tailors its response, those at the local, state, and national level should understand that the majority of authorities responsible for these decisions are doing the best they can.
There has been far too much politicization of this pandemic. In an election year, discussions surrounding school reopenings are intertwined with positive or negative feelings about the current administration. Instead, this issue should be one that is made by taking into account both the educational and health needs of students, teachers, and their immediate families. It should be based on the environments in individual districts, not a reflection of the nation as a whole. While some must exercise more caution, others may feel free to relax somewhat. But it should be based on data and facts, not politics. Most critically, school reopenings should not be seen through a partisan lens. The increased political pressure on school districts, one way or the other, does a great disservice to our nation’s educators and the children they teach.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
