In the fight between parents and teachers, it’s students who lose - The San Diego Union-Tribune

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What began as a schoolyard squabble is now a full-fledged fistfight.

I’m speaking, of course, of the conflict between parents and teachers as we enter the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic lockdown.

On one side, frustrated parents watch helplessly, seeing firsthand the high cost of remote learning over a prolonged period of time — from rising rates of depression to increased anxiety to lost learning, as their students fall behind.

A December 2020 report by McKinsey & Company says the parents’ concerns are well-founded. The study projects that students, on average, could lose five to nine months of learning by the end of June 2021. Students of color could be six to 12 months behind, compared with four to eight months for White students. And these learning losses are likely to be compounded over time.

Only about half of students nationwide are now attending public schools that offer traditional, full-time schedules. One quarter of schools are still virtual only. And, in some households, this situation has led to rebellion, with parents deciding to take matters into their own hands.

Worried about the ineffectiveness of online instruction and the negative effects of continued isolation, families are increasingly turning to private schools, homeschooling, and pandemic pods — small groups of students who study and socialize together. Rather than wait and see what happens in the fall, some families are relocating to states where schools are open.

If families abandon public education, it will devastate school budgets, which are tied to the number of children enrolled. Dips in funding could force districts to cut extracurricular activities or auxiliary services like tutoring.

But the reality is this: Packing up and leaving — whether that means sending your child to a local private school or moving out of state — is only a viable option for families with financial means.

Dr. Rudy Castruita is a professor of clinical education and the Irving R. and Virginia Archer Melbo Chair in Education Administration at the USC Rossier School of Education. Castruita, a member of the National Conflict Resolution Center board of directors, once served as the San Diego County superintendent of schools. Castruita said that the pandemic is amplifying the crisis of “haves” and “have nots” in public education, exacerbating what has been a well-documented learning gap.

In some areas of the country, Castruita observed, students are without reliable Internet connectivity — even if they have a laptop to use. Their parents may be unavailable or unable to help with their schooling, due to work schedules or language barriers or both. Yet many of these same parents are reluctant to send their children back to school — especially in communities of color, where rates of coronavirus are higher.

On the other side of this conflict — and equally entrenched — are worried teachers, who wonder whether and when to open schools, and what measures can be put in place to ensure their safety.

Randi Weingarten is president of the American Federation of Teachers. During a recent appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” she outlined a return-to-school road map that includes regular and rapid COVID-19 testing as a “way of life” in schools; safety protocols like masks, physical distancing and ventilation upgrades; and vaccine prioritization for teachers and staff.

According to Weingarten, 85 percent of teachers say they would feel comfortable returning to their classrooms if these recommendations were followed.

It all sounds good — in theory. As Castruita noted, school districts face logistical challenges. Maintaining 6 feet of distance between desks could make it hard to serve all students five days per week. In the average classroom, this distancing requirement translates to 16 students per class, half the norm. Some districts may use outside facilities, but that comes with added expense — both for the facilities and the teachers to staff them.

Then there is air quality. Many schools have inefficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Opening classroom windows to increase air circulation isn’t a practical year-round solution, especially in colder climates.

Castruita believes that COVID will continue to be a factor in schools, well into 2023 and beyond. And the new normal may look very different from the old normal, as long-standing assumptions about the delivery of instruction continue to shift.

Ultimately then, this massive disruption could lead to even better outcomes for students as we adopt new and more effective approaches to education. In the meantime, however, parents and teachers should keep in mind their common interest: inspiring students to want to learn.

That’s just what we do in successful mediations, as it turns out. Even when adversaries are dug in to their respective positions, often we can break the deadlock by identifying a shared goal.

It’s a practical lesson worth remembering, by everyone — especially now.

Dinkin is president of the National Conflict Resolution Center, a San Diego-based group working to create solutions to challenging issues, including intolerance and incivility. To learn about NCRC’s programming, visit ncrconline.com

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In the fight between parents and teachers, it’s students who lose - The San Diego Union-Tribune
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