Rethinking the Role of Public Schools: Lessons from a National Emergency
Examining the Impact of School Closures and the Importance of Parental Engagement in Education
By Marla Benavides
This week, as American students would have returned to school after spring break, COVID-19 has forced school closures. Surprisingly, this situation may have some positive aspects.
While school undoubtedly plays a significant role, it’s essential to recognize that it’s not an absolute necessity for a thriving civic culture. It’s worth noting that before the 20th century, society managed well with children learning in one-room schoolhouses or at home.
During those times, families and churches served as the focal points of communities. The church provided children with vital services, including free meals, healthcare, emotional and spiritual support, and even education. Extended families and friends contributed to childcare while parents worked. These arrangements helped mitigate the economic challenges of the era, fostering a simpler way of life.
The current pandemic highlights the government’s encroachment on our rights—the God-given right to raise our children. The message from our nation’s governors is crystal clear: schools may be attempting to assume a more significant role in raising our children.
In an article by Stephen Sawchuk in Ed Week titled ‘When America’s Schools Shut Down, We All Lose,’ it’s pointed out that schools serve as the hubs of our communities. They provide essential student-welfare services, such as free meals, healthcare, and dental care. Additionally, they offer childcare services, which help offset the effects of America’s economically stratified employment and healthcare systems on young students.
“Schools are not the central hubs of our communities, nor should they bear the responsibility of providing welfare services to our children or functioning as daycares to facilitate parents’ work. The economy can endure without schools, as their primary role is to impart essential knowledge and teach our children to read—a task at which they often fall short. Nevertheless, our students will endure.”
Contrary to what Ed Week suggests, it’s not the tens of millions of students who are primarily affected by school closures; it’s the schools themselves that face the brunt of this impact. Undoubtedly, the long-term consequences for teachers and school staff will be severe and likely enduring.
The shockwaves reverberate within the school buildings, and surprisingly, this disruption can be viewed as a positive development. It is my hope that parents seize this opportunity to reevaluate their priorities in life, contemplate their purpose, and reflect on morality and the fragility of existence. Home is where the heart resides, and this circumstance should bring families closer together.
In these trying times, no element of life should be taken for granted.
While schools have closed their doors, they have opened up home life in a significant way. This situation can be seen as a wake-up call, especially for those living paycheck-to-paycheck. It highlights the long-term impact on our finances, the limited control employees have over their money, and the frustration of paying the government first.
School funding is heavily reliant on various sources, including state and local taxes, property taxes, and federal income taxes. With these revenue streams potentially drying up, there may be an opportunity for change.
The cancellation of annual testing has likely brought relief to many students, serving as a blessing in disguise. However, for educators, superintendents, and principals who are now taking on roles as social-service coordinators, the challenges are significant. They must organize childcare, provide meals for disadvantaged students, facilitate access to online resources, and even teach classes online.
The term ‘cobbing together internet access’ may seem unclear, as it appears to be a slang term used by the writer, Stephen Sawchuck, in ‘When America’s Schools Shut Down.’
In this crisis, it becomes evident that schools should focus primarily on one thing: teaching kids to read proficiently, rather than taking on the role of raising children. Parents should be the ones to raise their kids, despite the added stress of needing two jobs to make ends meet. It’s crucial for parents to prioritize their well-being and remain composed, even if they feel like falling apart on the inside. Their main responsibilities should include keeping their children fed, safe, and emotionally stable.
It’s important to remember that family life is the cornerstone of a stable society, with churches playing a significant role, not schools. Schools should have a limited role, primarily ensuring that our children become literate and knowledgeable, which they often struggle to achieve.
The public school system was originally intended to uplift underprivileged individuals to a state of affluence. However, this pandemic has shed light on the declining quality of American education since the 1950s. We have become a society that lacks literacy and knowledge, and this is a stark reality that we must confront.
Parents have a profound impact on their children's lives.
Deep Divides: Empowering Parents in the Education Process
It’s becoming increasingly evident that school districts should empower parents to take a more active role in delivering instruction to their children. Contrary to conventional beliefs, you don’t necessarily require a teaching license to provide meaningful instruction. What you do need is a robust curriculum that places the responsibility of learning back into the hands of parents.
While electronic devices can be valuable tools for teaching, they aren’t an absolute necessity. Teach Your Monster to Read and Learning Palette Online are excellent resources for assisting children in learning to read, making them suitable alternatives for homeschooling. Some subjects, such as reading, writing, and basic math, don’t require highly structured environments and can be effectively taught by parents. It’s entirely feasible for parents to handle these subjects.
For districts unable to provide online learning options, they should focus on guiding parents to facilitate their children’s education. This approach can be significantly more cost-effective.
However, a notable concern lies in the education of English language learners and children with learning disabilities. Many of these students haven’t received adequate training in learning to read, as they often fall victim to outdated teaching methods, such as the look-and-say approach.
"Alarming Fact: Less than 50% of children are reading at their grade level."
Less than 50% of high school students in Minneapolis read at grade level, placing them behind in their education. This situation can lead to long-term challenges, including potential involvement in the criminal justice system, reliance on welfare, or homelessness. These students have been left behind by the school system for years, and we can only hope they realize the importance of proficient reading sooner rather than later.
A Local Approach to Education
COVID-19 has highlighted a crucial point: schools should not be controlled by the federal government. Throughout America’s history, schools have been managed at the local level. Education is not a fundamental right; it is a choice individuals are free to make. Access to books, however, is a right that everyone should enjoy, as it enables individuals to acquire knowledge and know where to find it.
It is evident that our society has become less knowledgeable compared to the past. Many Americans lack a deep understanding of their history and struggle to read beyond a 5th-grade level when discussing significant issues. So, why has the federal government become indispensable in supporting local schools across the country?
Why is the U.S. Department of Agriculture overseeing national school meal programs? It wasn’t always this way. Before 1918, most families owned land, farms, and local businesses, and communities in these areas cared for each other.
President Trump’s Message
President Trump has been clear and straightforward in his message. School leaders do not require guidance from the federal government; they are leaders in their own right.
Facts to Consider:
- The CDC suggested that closures of fewer than eight weeks would have limited impact on slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
- President Trump reduced the recommended gathering size to 10 people and encouraged children to stay home during a televised news conference.
The CDC issued guidance indicating that closures of fewer than eight weeks would have limited effectiveness in slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Additionally, they recommended against gatherings of more than 50 people. President Trump, during a televised news conference, further reduced the recommended gathering size to just 10 people and advised that children should stay home
Let’s consider some crucial points:
This national emergency should be approached with flexibility. While it’s described as a national emergency, each state faces unique challenges and resources, so a one-size-fits-all solution may not be appropriate.
Comparing this situation to historical precedents like the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic can be misleading. Public schools have evolved significantly since then, transitioning from being primarily controlled by churches and parents to a more government-focused system.
The claim that something is ‘always’ true should be met with skepticism, especially when there’s limited research on the effects of school closures during a pandemic. Speculation about the impact on student learning should be taken with a grain of caution.
It’s essential to remember that parents play a primary role in their children’s education and upbringing. Public schools were initially intended to serve the less fortunate, but the current system has struggled to adequately teach reading and knowledge.
The government’s role in education is a topic that deserves careful consideration. Some argue that the government’s increasing involvement in schools during the 20th century has led to declining literacy rates and greater dependence on federal support.
American literacy and knowledge levels have shifted over time, with some believing that the progressive era’s reforms contributed to these changes, as well as the rise of consumerism, philanthropy, and malnutrition.
In light of these points, it’s essential to engage in meaningful debate and seek a deeper understanding of our history and education system. Public schools should prioritize teaching core skills like reading while addressing achievement gaps, rather than trying to provide a broad range of social services.