- I know its a touchy subject for some- going into the public, opening things up. Is it safe? Is staying home 100% safe either? Here is my outlook on the subject.
A few weeks back we had two horrific car accidents just days apart on the freeway near our home between Mesquite and St. George. How can I avoid myself or my family from that happening to us? Can we decide that the gorge is too dangerous and never travel to St. George again? If we never travel on that freeway, we can assure we never get into an accident there and die. However we decided to learn from those and as always wear our seat belts, double check the children's seats are correct and secure, we avoid distractions in the car, we check to be sure our tires, breaks and all other items are working on the car. We are sure to be alert and paying attention. In short- we go, but we go cautiously. This is similar to my views on the shut down. Especially being in Nevada where we have been impacted and will be impacted for years to come from the shut down. Our health and being safe from covid has to be a factor- however it can not be the ONLY factor. Below is a letter I wrote to the school district:
I wanted to share my prospective of the distance learning. I work in low-income housing. I see the home life of the disadvantage youth in your schools.
As a mother of 4 students enrolled in CCSD ranging from elementary to high school, I struggled to teach my students. My husband and I both work full time, and continued to work though the shut downs. We struggled, but we got through it. Mainly because we make our kids a priority. Even making them a priority they struggled academically, and even more so emotionally. Every single one of my kids have struggled with emotions during this time. These are students with steady income, two parents in the home, food on the table each night- even they struggled with the distance learning.
What is happening in the homes with those without the favors my children have? I can tell you- I see it. You offer meals for pick up. I LOVE THAT. It is needed and bless so many. However there are still some that are not able or frankly unwilling to travel the mile to get their kids lunch. Their children aren't their priority. They are being ignored at best, and when seen are being abused not taught.
The students that struggle in school because they do not get help at home are getting further behind. Their parents are not doing distance learning. The gap is getting larger. There are kids that only get attention when they are at school. There are children who only hear anything positive from an adult when they are at school. School for some is not just a place or learning, but a refuge.
Studies on afsp.org showed in 2018 that there were 1.4 Million suicide attempts. Since shut downs, suicide attempts are up 60 percent. Abuse and domestic violence rates have doubled. These numbers are expected to rise as the financial repercussions of the shut downs hit, especially in our state. These are things that are happening in your students homes. They always have, but now they increased and the students do not get a break from it, they not get a safe place, they do not have their outlet of refuge.
Is there a risk in opening up schools and letting students mingle? Absolutely, there always was. Is that risk amplified with Covid? Absolutely. Will some get sick? Probably.
However when you look at the emotional need for interaction, face to face learning and the other needs that our students get from school- shutting down or limiting days is a greater health risk.
We save nothing by limiting school to two days. The students will be sharing the same teacher, and have the same chance of contracting the sickness with 10 kids in their class as they do 20 or 30. I agree we should take precautions with masks and excess washing. They need to be outside when possible getting physical exercise, not cutting out PE. To not let the students go to a full week school you are further hindering their education, and exposing them to emotional, physical and hardships.
I saw a quote on your presentation about ignoring the good for the perfect. I agree, locking people up in their homes and never coming out is the perfect way to avoid sharing germs. However that is now reasonable for life. The good would be to go back to school, cautiously.
If my child were to get sick, I would want them to be emotionally and physically healthy to have a better chance of fighting it off. How well off are our children when they are emotionally drained?
There are no perfect answers here, we all know that. I just urge you to look not only at how to get students the knowledge school provides, but to look at the whole picture of what is needed. What a great opportunity you have to prove that our schools are essential. What you provide is needed and indispensable. Lets not limit or reduce its value. Our students deserve to go back to school, full school without shortened weeks.
Thank you,
Michelle West
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