America’s issues continue to grow and affect not only its tax-paying citizens but future generations as well. Are public school students at more risk than private school students?
In regards to education, those with resources will continue to thrive. While cities and communities with a lack of resources, will without a doubt suffer. And our politicians, who should be leading Americans in the right direction, are once again putting profit before people.
President Trump has publicly demanded school districts open to “in-person” learning, or risk losing federal funding. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has also pushed for reopening.
Public schools, which serve roughly 90 percent of American children, often have less money, larger class sizes, and less flexibility to make changes to things like the curriculum, facilities, or workforce.
“The virus is this huge stress test on our education system,” said Robert Pianta, dean of the school of education at the University of Virginia. “It has exposed a great deal of inequity, and we are going to see this only exacerbated in the coming months, not years. Certain kids in certain systems, depending on the resources, are going to get much closer to what looks like a typical high-quality education than others.”
Some public districts have developed plans to open full time for most students. They include smaller, wealthier suburban districts as well as urban ones like those in Durham, N.C., and Charlottesville, Va. While cities like Chicago and Los Angeles are leaning more toward a virtual classroom alternative for students and faculty.
America’s Private schools, however, are planning on opening on time, with full enrollment, and current curriculum. A move that fuels the argument that private schools are simply treated better because of the money and resources provided to them.
This will for sure alter the workforce in the future. As student attendance online was already low according to reports in multiple cities. Not only do thousands of students not have resources at home, but will now be demanded to attend class and hand in work online. Even if these students don’t have access to the internet, the work will still be demanded, which is a deterrent for any student in a rough situation.
Meanwhile, in affluent districts, students will have access to not only educational resources; but health resources as well to keep them safe.
We will keep an eye on this as students and parents get closer and closer to the 1st day of school. All hands on deck will be needed for sure! Because at the end of the day, #WeGotUs.
