January has given us a baker’s dozen days and so far, it’s giving 2020 a run for its money.
Twice, I’ve written blog posts only to be overrun by the events of the day. An insurrection, a Covid surge, talk of impeachment, vaccination prospects, wonders about the inauguration on January 20th and security – it leaves me scrambling for stasis, any kind of normalcy. This was the 2020 playbook where educational priorities got in the back seat and stayed there, ignored simply because the world was on fire. In this new page of 2021, the fire is still spreading, but we do need to find ways to bracket the world around us. Students across the world are struggling with myriad issues; many can’t put their thoughts and fears into words but instead internalize it all. This blog continues to focus on how students return to the physical classroom and how we can support them as we reach for that goal and beyond.
First, COVID: In the first thirteen days of January, there have been more than 8 million new cases worldwide with more than 155,000 deaths. Next week, the world will move past 2 million Covid related deaths with more than 100 million cases recorded worldwide. Yesterday saw record death counts in the UK (1564), Mexico (1314), and South Africa (806) for example. In the US, 41 of the 50 states reported more than 1000 new cases yesterday; in these first thirteen days, the US has more than 3 million new cases with almost 40,000 deaths. Staggering numbers.
Today, we heard from researchers in Ohio that two new variants of the coronavirus originating in the US have been discovered. In the coming days, we will hear more about virus mutations, debate the efficacy of developed vaccines on these mutations (One Shot J&J Vaccine Shows Promise), and wonder if we’ll ever get to that “normal” place again.
Trying to figure out future events like the Tokyo Olympics remind us we are still on stop. Europe experienced another surge in January and Japan has declared a state of emergency. Here in the US, school districts and university systems are trapped in a Catch-22 – there is no easy way to safely restart in-person learning for all until the vaccine program has reached deep into the population (in particular, teachers). In Sonoma County where I work, first dose vaccinations for some teachers are being proposed for mid February, meaning the possibility that some teachers would be available for in-person teaching by mid to late March. However, there are many other issues that play into a full reopening, and that may still be a matter of months. The prospect of the entire school year of 2020-21 being fully remote in some areas of the country, or at best hybrid, is very real.
Second, the insurrection: As we see further video of the mob assaulting the Capitol, it’s clear that the attack was an attempt to halt Congressional business and keep President Trump in office. Over the next few days, America may face a continuance of this revolt. (Because America has rarely experienced inner revolt as it did in 1861, it is easy to be complacent and assume that the “government” will remain as it has; because I grew up in a different country – Jamaica – where the democracy was more fledgling, I know that a well-armed militia of citizens can disrupt and overthrow existing government. Governance is all an act of faith and more fragile than ever. The photos here show members of the National Guard sleeping in the rotunda and assembling outside the Capitol. Sobering.
Politically, the election results in Georgia and the aftermath remind us that the country’s polarization is entrenched. Whatever we think about Trump is not nearly as important as how we address the concerns of all people, including those Trump supporters who feel suddenly disenfranchised. Everyone may be feeling disenfranchised at the moment. I have taken to calling myself a radical moderate only because moderation has become a radical idea. How educators can effectively communicate with all members of a school community regardless of their divergent political views is part of this blog’s purpose.
During the next few months, we will also center on current local (Sonoma County, California) practice as well as regional, national and international approaches to student learning during and coming out of the pandemic. I’ll present some current student performance data broken down by subgroups as well as personal student stories that demonstrate how difficult true learning can be during this time. The focus question is: can we do better in reaching each student regardless of his/her race, economic status, and motivation?
January 5th was the first day of the second semester where I teach. My classes are semester length so I met a whole new set of students. In their introductory writing to me, each revealed some sort of reaction to Covid and how it has changed life. For some, it has meant isolation and loss of friends. Others have struggled in school, easily losing focus in an online world. One has experienced direct loss of a family member to Covid. And all have some degree of apprehension about the near future. Will we ever actually be on campus for our freshman year? Sports? Clubs? It’s heartbreaking, but we still have to get to work.
NEXT TIME: A Closer Look at the word “Equity”: What It Was Supposed to Mean and What Has Changed
Data Sources: John Hopkins and Worldometer
David Stirrat 