Saturday, April 11, 2020

The Pandemic Unearths the Raw Reality of Educational Inequity and Disparity:


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.
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  • 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.
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  • 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.

    But New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, on April 8th, may have put it best.

   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.
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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]
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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]
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   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.”
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   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]

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