COVID-19 Forces Us to
Realize We Need to Change the Village
Introduction
[CLICK HERE for All of the Critical Points in
the Entire Blog Article]
With the pandemic still dominating our world
in innumerable ways, most of us are still sequestered, many states have
shuttered their schools for the year, and home-schooling/distance learning has
become a (virtual) reality for many students, teachers, and parents/guardians.
And these are all major issues that, right
now, do not yet have an “expiration date.”
Critically, with these issues have come the
waves of emotions (for example, anxiety, fear, frustration, loss, and grief)
that have similarly impacted us personally—along with our children,
adolescents, students, and significant others.
And yet, simultaneously, we have learned
that it truly "takes a village”—in ways that we could not have previously
imagined.
Indeed, this pandemic has reinforced the
following realities:
- Our world is even smaller than we ever could have believed.
Otherwise, how could COVID-19 have been transmitted
worldwide in so short a time?
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- The health of our family, neighbors, community, town, state, country, continent, and world depends on all of us.
It depends on—to name a few—all of us staying at home and
practicing physical distancing; our grocery stores, truckers, and supply
chains; our medical personnel and first responders; our epidemiologists,
vaccine researchers, and business partners; and our formal and informal
leaders—many of whom have led with clarity, courage, consistency, and the
common good in mind.
_ _ _ _ _
- Even though we are taking out a mortgage (literally) on our futures, the pandemic has reinforced the federal reality that when there is a need for money, funding, and economic relief. . . somehow, the money is there.
This should be a “post-COVID-19 mental note” when our
country recalibrates our economy and funding priorities—and when the education
community will decide how to use its share.
Remember that, 2009’s $787 billion American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act gave billions of dollars to schools. . . and yet, that
money did not close (or permanently close) the disparities in our schools a
decade later.
_ _ _ _ _
- And so, we have learned that the inequities of the past are the inequities of the present.
Relative to this latter reality, the
Question is:
Will we seize this opportunity, now and
in the months to come, to truly address in built-in, systemic inequities and
disparities in our country, states, communities, and educational systems?
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_ _ _
COVID-19
and Social Inequity in the US
While COVID-19 has impacted millions across
the globe, even in the midst of this continuing crisis, it is clear that
COVID-19 is not a “fair and equitable disease.”
Clearly, we all know that this virus has
killed more elderly patients, as well as those with chronic medical
conditions including heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, cancer, and
hypertension.
But we also know
that COVID-19 has magnified many of the societal inequities and disparities
that existed before the first patient was ever hospitalized.
For example, as
chronicled by the Anti-Defamation League:
- People with lower incomes and fewer financial resources are impacted disproportionately, as they struggle to navigate the health care system, school closings, reduction in employment and shelter-in-place restrictions. With working from home the “new normal” and shutdowns of cities and states across the country, many workers have lost or will soon lose their jobs.
- Many members of marginalized groups have already experienced disproportionate harm. People who are homeless or incarcerated are particularly vulnerable because of crowded and unsanitary conditions, inability to engage in social distancing and more.
- Immigrants and those who are undocumented face vulnerabilities with the health care system (i.e., fear or seeking help and lack of coverage). Many recent immigrants work in jobs without sick leave and are unable to self-quarantine, making them much more susceptible to the virus than the general population.
- Victims of domestic abuse have been further marginalized and at risk because there is more time at home, stress and financial strain.
- We are seeing bias and hate that targets the Asian American community through scapegoating and stereotyping. In addition, bullying, harassment and slurs have become commonplace. And, there is a reported increase in hate crimes against Asian American people.
- While a majority of our K-12 schools and colleges close their buildings and move to online learning, disparities such as food insecurity, insufficient digital access, and lack of critical social services persist and are magnified.
Noting that Black New Yorkers comprise 28%
of the COVID-19 deaths in New York City and 18% of deaths in New York state—despite
being 22% and 9% of the population, respectively. . . and that Hispanics
represent 34% and 14% of the COVID-19 City and State deaths—despite being 29% of
the City’s and 11% of the State’s population, respectively, he stated:
Why are more African Americans and Latinos affected? We’re
seeing this around the country.
Comorbidity, I understand that, but I think there’s
something more to it. You know, it always seems that the poorest people pay the
highest price. Why is that? Whatever the situation is.
(Immediately after Katrina), The people standing on
those rooftops were not rich white people.
Let’s figure it out. Let’s do the work. Let’s do the
research. Let’s learn from these moments and let’s learn these lessons and
let’s do it now.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _
COVID-19
and Educational Inequity and Disparity in the US
Relative to the social and economic inequities
and disparities that “trickle down” to our schools and districts, most
administrators more fully understand the student-specific academic and health,
mental health, and wellness effects of this pandemic—particularly among
students living in poverty, English-language learners, students with
disabilities, and students who are homeless.
Moreover, these educators know that many of
these groups overlap— exponentially magnifying the impact of the pandemic.
[CLICK HERE for the Full Blog Article that
Cites Recent Publications and Describes Additional Educational Disparities due
to the Pandemic]
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
A Call
to Action: What Will the Future Bring?
While none of us can predict the future,
recent reports are already suggesting that educational funding will be
negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic—especially given an expected
recession. These reports then predict that this will result in decreases in
student achievement and increases in the already-existing gaps between
advantaged and disadvantaged students.
None of these predictions are positive for students
from poverty, students of color, English-language and/or Native American
learners, students with disabilities, and similar others.
And so, the
Question is: How do we prevent or
change this future?
[CLICK HERE for the Full Blog Article that
Cites Recent Publications and Describes the Predicted Financial and Academic
Educational Disparities due to the Pandemic]
_ _ _ _ _
These predictions—of pandemic-related student
funding and achievement gaps added onto the pre-existing gaps between
advantaged and disadvantaged students— spell an inequity and disparity “death
knoll” for another generation of disadvantaged students.
Given that the pandemic will force us to reform,
reorganize, and regenerate how we educate all students, is this not the
time to reconceptualize from the “bottom-up”?
That is: Why shouldn’t we first (re)design the most equitable
and effective educational systems for our students from poverty,
students of color, English-language and/or Native American learners, students
with disabilities, and similar others. . . knowing that these “core” systems
will work for our advantaged students as well?
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_ _ _
Summary
An EdSurge article last week (April
7, 2020) reported on the results of an end-of-March survey that over 5,000 U.S.
teachers responded to. When asked to describe the three most frequent emotions
that they felt each day during this pandemic, the following were most-often
mentioned:
- Anxious
- Fearful
- Worried
- Overwhelmed
The reasons for these feelings, according to
these teachers, involve (a) their general fears that they or someone in
their family will contract COVID-19; (b) their stress around managing their own
and their families’ needs; and (c) their anxiety around teaching full-time from
home while simultaneously mastering new distance learning technologies.
As I talk with
administrators across the country, I hear these same emotions, but some of
their reasons for these feelings include concerns about:
- The impact of the inequities and disparities between their advantaged and disadvantaged students. . . that we have discussed throughout this Blog;
- The limitations of the current fiscal situation, and the financial status of their districts and schools in the year to come; and
- Federal and state policies that prevent them from flexibly addressing their student and staff needs—once again, with an eye toward their most needy students.
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Earlier in this Blog, I quoted New York Governor
Andrew Cuomo who said:
Why are more African Americans and Latinos affected? We’re
seeing this around the country.
Let’s figure it out. Let’s do the work. Let’s do the
research. Let’s learn from these moments and let’s learn these lessons and
let’s do it now.
Not one week
earlier, Governor Cuomo also said:
And we're going to get through it because we are New
York, and because we've dealt with a lot of things, and because we are smart.
You have to be smart to make it in New York.
And we are resourceful, and we are showing how
resourceful we are.
And because we are united, and when you are united,
there is nothing you can't do.
And because we are New York tough. We are tough. You
have to be tough. This place makes you tough. But it makes you tough in a good
way.
We're going to make it because I love New York, and I
love New York because New York loves you. New York loves all of you. Black and
white and brown and Asian and short and tall and gay and straight. New York
loves everyone.
That's why I love New York. It always has, it always
will. And at the end of the day, my friends, even if it is a long day, and this
is a long day, love wins. Always. And it will win again through this virus.
If you will, I would like you to read the
quote above and substitute the word “America” for “New York.”
_ _ _ _ _
My friends, we will get through this crisis.
. . what I called a “Disruptive Opportunity” in my last Blog message. We will
get through with courage, cooperation, goodwill, fortitude, contribution, and
honor.
But as we overcome this pandemic, let’s
remember its inequitable impact. And let’s look each other in the eyes and commit
to “figuring it out,” and “learning the lessons.”
We need to minimize the academic and social,
emotional, behavioral, and mental health impact of this pandemic on all
of our children and adolescents.
But we especially need to take action on
behalf of our students from poverty, students of color, English-language
and/or Native American learners, students with disabilities, and similar others.
We need to take
action now—to minimize the impacts of this pandemic. But we also need to take
action in the coming months as we prepare for the next school year.
If we are truly
living in a “new normal,” let’s create a “new educational normal” in the coming
months. . . a “new normal” where the current inequities and disparities in our
educational systems disappear, and where the students who have been harmed by
these inequities and disparities in the past are “made whole” for their futures.
Their futures. . .
and the futures of their children.
Best,
Howie
[CLICK HERE for All of the Critical Points in
the Entire Blog Article]
