Controversial (I'm Counting On It) Thoughts On Schools And The Pandemic

One thing I am glad I am not today; a parent of a school age child.

I would be hard pressed to make good decisions about whether to send my kids to school, given all that's going on today, and which seems to change every other week.

A few figures to put all this in perspective:

The world's 3 most populous nations are: China: 1.4 Billion, India 1.3 Billion, and the US at 330 million.

The world's 3  nations with the greatest number of virus cases, per WHO: US-4, 582, 000,  India 1, 804,000, South Africa 511, 500.

Something is sadly wrong here.

The nation which claims the best health system in the world, the best doctors, hospitals, medical research, etc.etc.etc. has the highest number of virus cases. It should not be that way.

And it is affecting all our lives in so many ways; not the least of which is the next generation, getting ready now for fall schools, and their parents.

I'm afraid I would be going to school board meetings and rattling the superintendent's cage asking "what in hell are you doing?" Sending Kids back to school, maybe late, when we have no vaccine, no real understanding of what this virus does to kids, what sanitation methods work and what don't.  I mean, look at pro sports; every time they think they have an answer, they're wrong, and you want to risk our future?

Sorry educators.  Call off the next school year.  That's right, call it off!

Not all kids have the hardware for virtual learning, nor do school systems. It's unfair to educate one part of a class and not all of them. And virtual learning isn't as good as in-person learning. And we just don't know enough to avoid all the risks inherent in in-person learning right now.

Yes, I know this raises a LOT of problems, paying educators for not teaching (can't we find good, socially redeeming work for one year for these great, trained people???)  Family problems will be immense, as I said, I'm glad I'm not a school parent these days, easy for me to say and not have to "do."

But, right now, with the knowledge we have, and the way the national administration is handling the crisis, I say better we not start schools than do so and run risk after risk after risk.

OK, beat up on me.

Put this year behind us.  Just drop it out of our calendar (There's lots of research that kids do better learning when they are older, anyhow.)

I'm just sayin'...