From Detroit/Seattle Workers' Voice mailing list
September 29, 2020
Dissension over education: Trump’s dictates rejected as
parents and teachers deal with the COVID crisis
(brief excerpts--full article is at
http://www.communistvoice.org/DSWV-200929.html)
by Pete Brown, Detroit Workers' Voice
- New York City; Los Angeles; Chicago; Houston
- Other districts of interest: Long Island; Salt Lake City; St. Louis; Phoenix;
Hawaii; Anchorage, AK; Detroit, MI
- Worst states: Iowa; Arkansas; Florida; Wisconsin; Idaho; South Dakota
- Conclusion
Trump’s authoritarian dictate to open up the schools for in-person learning has
flopped. After looking at school districts in various parts of the country including
right-wing areas and Red states, I found only schools in South Dakota opening
completely in-person. I did find a widespread interest in supporting science and
health and rejection of Trumpism. Even in South Dakota, teachers and parents
are very active trying to get accurate reportage so they can argue for closing and
quarantining a school as soon as any cases of COVID arise. Parental activity and
local school districts’ rejection of Trump’s dictates show limits to Trump’s attempts
at dictatorship.
On the other hand, it also shows that in various parts of the country some parents
have launched vigorous demonstrations demanding in-person education. Some
of these demonstrations (not all) have a considerable number of supporters who
should not all be written off as Trumpists. There are legitimate reasons for
preferring in-person education. And the transition to online learning will no doubt
favor students in the richer districts. A comprehensive view, trying to deal with the
COVID crisis, would address these concerns while also supporting demands for
health and safety. Trump’s stupid demand to simply “Open up!” never took
account of the planning and resources needed to open up safely, and Trump still
stands in the way of providing these. Trump and his minion DeVos have been
working to destroy public education, to defund and privatize it, and the COVID
crisis has brought out the consequences of years of underfunding and
resegregation.
Local school administrators must first of all take account of the COVID levels in
their local area. These differ by locality and from one time to another. Right now
COVID is increasing across the nation – 33 states are experiencing a rise in the
number of new cases and a rise in positivity rates, which is above 5% in the
majority of states. This article (see 1) notes that the U.S. is going backward right
now, with an apocalyptic autumn looming because of schools reopening and
especially colleges and universities, which have been hungrily trying to attract
tuition-paying students and trying to ignore COVID-crisis warnings. The rapid rise
in cases in university towns causes a rise throughout surrounding counties and
their public school systems. Colder weather, the return of flu season and people
staying indoors will accelerate the COVID threat. Recent studies as reported by
NBC News on Sept. 26th show the number of daily deaths from COVID may
quadruple by January. The virus is not going away anytime soon even if a vaccine
becomes available in the next year or so, and everyone must prepare.
Following are some news reports about the larger school districts.
..............
CONCLUSION
A look at school districts around the country shows a lot of imagination by local
parents and teachers as they try to deal with the COVID crisis. It also shows a lot
of firm resilience by students as they work to continue their education. But it also
brings out problems with the system that existed before the pandemic. Schools
have suffered from underfunding and resegregation for decades. Teachers have
fought against this and launched a national wave of strikes before the COVID
crisis hit. But the difficulties of the crisis, and the roadblocks to proper planning by
the Trump administration, have set back public school districts and increased
previously existing inequities. Districts in black and brown localities have greater
problems than more affluent white districts just as black and brown people suffer
from higher rates of disease and death from COVID. Wealthier districts find ways
to provide education to their students despite the problems, while poorer districts
scramble for help, oftentimes against the Trumpist dictates of state governors and
some local politicians. Much more planning and financial support is needed to
make the transition to online learning successful. Districts need to stop hoping the
virus will end suddenly this fall and plan for a difficult winter at least.
[1] Holly Yan and Madeline Holcombe, "US coronavirus: As doctors worry about
an 'apocalyptic fall,' the CDC retracts Covid-19 info", *CNN*, September 21,
2020,
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/despite-progress-since-july-most-states-are-going-backward-with-covid-19-as-doctors-worry-about-a-very-apocalyptic-fall/ar-BB19fvxJ?ocid=DE_20200921_ENUS_coronavirus_1.
