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The relevance of education in the current landscape is being questioned, particularly in the aftermath of the prolonged pandemic response that has disrupted many communities nationwide.
One notable consequence of this disruption is the significant rise in chronic absenteeism, a trend that has been highlighted in a recent article by The New York Times titled “Why School Absences Have ‘Exploded’ Almost Everywhere.” The focus has shifted towards the impact of the pandemic on school attendance.
While the initial closure of schools in March 2020 was a direct result of the pandemic, the subsequent prolonged closures during the fall of 2020 and beyond were influenced by regressive and misguided policies, at times driven by ulterior motives.
In a concerning turn of events, in February 2021, the Biden administration permitted Randi Weingarten, the president of a particular interest group, to influence the revision of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, effectively prolonging school closures for political reasons rather than health concerns.
Education authorities now seem to find any pretext to keep students away from schools, perpetuating a concerning trend of prolonged closures and disruptions.
Despite the essential role that schools play in society, there has been a disturbing normalization of school closures for various reasons, ranging from ambiguous “COVID concerns” to accommodating external events such as the upcoming solar eclipse.
It is imperative to address the detrimental impact of treating schools as dispensable entities, as evidenced by the continuous disruptions and closures that have become increasingly commonplace.
Moving forward, it is crucial to prioritize the continuity of education, ensuring that schools remain open except in genuine emergency situations. By reframing the narrative and emphasizing the importance of uninterrupted learning, we can strive to mitigate the long-lasting effects of the pandemic on the education system.