Biden on school closures: "It is a national emergency"

[brooklynite]

Source: Axios

School closures across the country and a lack of in-person learning due to the coronavirus is "a national emergency," President Biden stressed in a pre-Super Bowl interview with CBS on Sunday.

Why it matters: Schools' handling of the pandemic reportedly vary wildly from district to district, and one nonprofit study from October estimates that as many as 3 million U.S. students have gone without any formal education — virtual or in-person — since March.

Where it stands: Biden has pledged to reopen schools within his first 100 days, but Anthony Fauci — Biden's chief medical adviser — recently told teachers unions that the administration's goal may not be reached that quickly due to "mitigating circumstances."

Current mitigating circumstances include new, more transmissible strains of the coronavirus spreading through the country.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/biden-coronavirus-schools-reopening-students-9901924e-24ef-4c8f-9dfc-3120acf78ec2.html

[Kitchari]

1. I wish they offered a televised curriculum

So students with internet limitations could access it. Not easy to do, unfortunately.

[riversedge]

2. Local NPR's could broadcast for a few hours a day. just a thought.

[littlemissmartypants]

3. PBS NC has what's called the North Carolina channel that does just that.

It's accessible via TV, web and an app. I don't know what the geographic reach actually is but it's a start.

❤ lmsp


Link https://www.pbsnc.org/

[Kitchari]

4. That's exactly what we need nationwide n/t

[Kitchari]

5. Yes!

I hope Dr Jill Biden implements this kind of egalitarian solution

[Hortensis]

6. Our DIL is a substitute teacher seeing some of the effects. Children need

structured learning, and some have lost effectively a whole year of education, in addition to the emotional effects. She fully agrees it's become an emergency.

[Chemisse]

7. If it's such a national emergency, why won't they vaccinate teachers?

Teachers all want to go back to normal but we are being pushed back into schools, even as the infection numbers rise, and (in my state and at least one other), teachers have been moved down the line for vaccines even as the clamor for school reopenings becomes louder.

Nobody wants to risk serious infection and possible death, which is a real risk, especially when you teach the older kids. They transmit the disease just like adults and they tend to be far more careless about social interactions.

Those teachers who can afford it have retired or are taking leaves of absence, and subs are scarce. Those who have multiple comorbidities have been denied ADA accommodations in most districts (which would be to continue to teach remotely until vaccinated).

Local communities have parents and teachers pitted against each other and nobody seems to care about the well-being of the school workers.

Those mitigating circumstances will mean nothing to my school district. They've already said we will not close again, no matter what. No dangerous variants will keep them from sending us in. This is the same school district that told us we were expected to protect our students from a mass shooter, should one enter our classroom, by hitting him with a three-hole-punch.

[3littlebeans]

8. I agree 100% with everything you say!

I have an 8 year old on an IEP with ADHD and a communication disorder. We have elected to keep him home. We did try hybrid in November, at the suggestion of his IEP team - and the school closed after two full days! The transitions are an absolute nightmare for him - and this one was awful.

I get it. I'm on the side of the teachers - and get super frustrated with friends when they take it out on the teachers. (I don't keep my mouth shut either about it.)

His small school is starting "pool testing" for all students in each cohort with their teachers (10 students and 3 teachers). The hope is they will go back the week after February vacation.

My son said he is not comfortable going back - and lucky for our family, I am able to be home with him full time; and work with him 1:1 on all the assignments.

One of his teachers is remote full time - as she is pregnant and high risk. I was surprised and impressed the school supported it.

I'm not a teacher, and don't pretend to be. I guarantee he's fallen behind significantly, but what are we to do? I'm most concerned for everyone's health and safety. Including all the amazing teachers and support staff. I know that not everyone is able to have the freedom to make a choice like this; and has to do what supports their families best.