This week in 1993…Ignoring the science…and what the election of 1800 has to do with anything… and more this week in newswire.
While we were setting up shop in 1993 and preparing our first “Monthly Letter to Friends,” “The Beverly Hillbillies” was the #1 movie and Billy Joel’s “River of Dreams” was the #1 song.
Who knew we’d be talking about the same thing all these years later! We’ve not hit true opportunity oil for all yet, but we had crossed the river for kids who were accessing multiple options and learning approaches, until Covid hit. Now we’re swimming upstream against the data and leaving kids out in the middle of night. All because….WHY exactly? Because the decisions of bureaucrats are more important than parents? Read and see if you think it makes any sense.
FAILING TO LEARN SCIENCE! It’s not just our kids who lack proficiency in science. Clearly so do our policymakers, who would rather listen to fear than science. Parents desperately want schools open and the choice to send their kids to a school that is working for them NOW, physical, virtual, pod or some combination! The union bosses say no — no to in-person, no to full-time virtual, no to money going to parents to help, just NO.
The data reveals devastating effects on poor kids, in particular. And all kids are emotionally being impacted. Joseph Allen of Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health writes: “The consequences are devastating. We have virtual dropouts. We have major school districts in the U.S. where a third of the kids are not logging in every day. This spring, right here in Boston, 10,000 high school kids didn’t log in at all in the month of May. Kids are less social, and the learning is different. According to UNICEF, kids in school are less likely to suffer from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence. Over 30 million kids rely on schools for nutrition, so there are food-security issues. There’s a risk from COVID, but that can be managed in the classroom.”
The latest in a long line of studies confirming the safety of opening schools was highlighted by National Public Radio just this week citing “two new international studies [which] show no consistent relationship between in-person K-12 schooling and the spread of the coronavirus.”
Sadly, there also is no consistent relationship between teachers unions and what’s best for students.
WHO IS DOING IT WELL? Boston, Chicago or right here in DC it doesn’t take very much effort to find a jewel who has figured out how to do education for all of its students. How is DC’s Friendship Public Charter Schools managing to offer both options and doing it so well? Look at this video, then ask why systems with billions of dollars aren’t following suit. (Hint: it starts with a U and ends with POLITICIAN).https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFwZPYMmUq0&feature=emb_titleWE DON’T NEED NO EDUCATION. Unions in Chicago and Washington, D.C. are bullying city officials into complying with their dictates. As unions in DC are rallying, they are all too happy to comply. “We cannot risk the entire system on a half-baked plan in the dark,” said District of Columbia Councilmember Robert White Jr. Half-baked? Dark?
Criticizing the district for even suggesting they try a hybrid approach, a leader in the Chicago Teachers Union claims their boycott of in-person (and all day virtual) teaching is because of kids. “Our youngest and most medically vulnerable students deserve safety,” said CTU Vice President Stacy Davis Gates on Friday. But the district’s Emily Bolton pointed out that, “while the district is doing everything in its power to plan for all possible scenarios, the CTU refuses to even discuss a return to in-person learning, even as hundreds of private schools in Chicago are open…We don’t know what the health situation will be in a couple of weeks’ time, but it would be irresponsible not to plan ahead while thousands of students miss out on valuable learning.” Ah, Learning. Maybe someone needs to remind our union friends about the point of school.
FRONT PAGE NEWS MAY BE ALL ABOUT THE ELECTION… but we’re doing our best to take the facts to the people directly. In Forbes CER’s Jeanne Allen explains how nonsensical school mandates continue to frustrate the best efforts of parents to keep their kids learning by issuing edicts that indefinitely delay school openings, and acquiescing to unions and school boards who have no science to back up their restrictions. At the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Triblive.com CER’s the reality that “great schools come about only when parents have power” is front and center. Don’t believe us? Check out CER’s state-by-state Parent Power Index. It’s no secret that states doing better educating kids, now and before, have the policies in place that allow the flexibility schools and parents need to be engaged.
ELECTION DAY – and BEYOND. Next week we’ll be giving you Tuesday off so you can think about, opine and cavetch about the election. We’ll be back Wednesday with some observations to take us through another exciting year in this great country we call the United States of America! And just like we’ve been saying for years, (if you haven’t already) go VOTE! But for God’s sakes’ be informed about what you’re voting for! While many think the idea of getting out the vote is new, we’ve been doing this since our inception. The Voter Guide here and pictured is from our archives, and its purpose is as relevant today as ever. While we don’t have one for you this year (there’s simply enough stuff out there today!) be informed about your candidates and then, when they win, about how they act. It’s never too late to hold them accountable for their education views. And in case you thought this was the only election with division and strife, watch this.
Autumn is already a month old, and rain is falling in many parts of the country. Our hope for you is that the rain that falls on you is always gentle. Whatever the precipitation in your neighborhood, turn up your speakers, put on your dancing shoes and enjoy the amazing Barbara Harris and the Toys singing “How Gentle Is the Rain”, aka the Lovers Concerto. Their original hit of this J.S. Bach melody was in 1965. The video is from 2016 – when Harris was 71.
Founded in 1993, the Center for Education Reform aims to expand educational opportunities that lead to improved economic outcomes for all Americans — particularly our youth — ensuring that conditions are ripe for innovation, freedom and flexibility throughout U.S. education. We’re always delighted to hear from our readers…suggestions, questions and even the occasional complaint!