It’s Back to School Time in America, but this year like so many things, nothing is normal… I always loved Back to School time! The weather is changing, you get new clothes, and new supplies (and as an only child for many years I always got great supplies - I actually started my first business by selling extra school supplies to classmates!). Then school starts and you have a new teacher maybe even a new school. You get to introduce everyone to the “new you” and share your summer stories. I usually went to the Caribbean during the summer so I always came back with a cool adventure to share! However, this year, students are not going back. And their summers were not filled with trips or camp but rather isolation and lockdowns… And the pandemic impacts students of all ages. Collegiate and post-graduate students are having graduation plans derailed, externships canceled, and required courses canceled.
As a former educator, I really feel for the teachers having to go completely virtual or even worse and do a hybrid approach while still worrying about their own safety and families. School budgets are already thin, so how will school districts provide the necessary PPE and testing to keep the risk of infection low? Further, many children are not engaging online and falling behind. Or worse because their parents have to return to work, children are being left alone to fend for themselves.
Another layer is the impact on student-athletes. Many attend school on scholarships that are dependent on performance in their given sports, but with all sports canceled what happens to their ability to attend class? Or even more important, what if they refuse to perform due to health and safety concerns? Some schools are so dependent upon their sports programs canceling may mean losing big and unfortunately, money and student health seem to be on opposite ends of the scale... Further, some colleges so are fearful of losing their ballooned budgets that they make from students, that some are offering online solutions with in-person tuition prices… And if a student wants to (or has to because of international residency issues) attend in person how will the college keep them safe?
However, as with all things in 2020, there is an opportunity. 2020 CONSISTENTLY exposes every single underlying issue, dysfunction, inequality, and loophole that existed in the fabric of our society. And our ENTIRE education system is in need of repair and probably complete overhaul. Instead of rushing back to business as usual our leaders should examine the system, the holes, and the unnecessary parts and make education more accessible, safer, smarter, and more useful for future generations.