New School Year Continued from page 11 fall, the pandemic is clearly a turning point when it comes to what role that technology will play in the education of America’s students in the future.
Coronavirus &
ing insecurity, and helping to access social services, as an unprecedented number of parents is experiencing unemployment. Then there is the matter of transportation. It is an illustra-
Voter Suppression: A Deadly Combination By Thomas Holt Russell Democracy demands participation. If we don’t have people voting, then we don’t have a democracy. – State Representative Leslie Herod
It was always
The American Federation of Teachers suggests that learning should continue to occur online while districts institute their scheduling options. The plans must consider that schools will operate both online and in person. This truth means that school systems will need to make large investments in equipment, materials, teacher and parent training programs, as well as, connectivity for students in the long term. The larger question remains, will all students be able to keep pace academically in this new educational reality? Most leaders might agree that significant assessment of student learning will need to occur. Obviously, students will experience learning loss, social loss and emotional issues stemming from isolation. Additionally, the national increase of reported domestic abuse cases causes concern for student safety while sequestered at home. Schools are being called upon to help address a myriad of concerns resulting from the pandemic including ensuring that students have enough to eat. Many systems are being used as food distribution centers. Now questions are arising as to whether schools can assist with mental health, hous-
known that African Americans were at the wrong end of health tion of how completely difficult and social economic it might be to re-open schools. It disparities. The coromay prove to be impossible to navirus has forced polsolve issues such as social disicy makers to cast light tancing on a school bus. A syson the decades old tem would potentially need to problems that poverty and racoperate two or three times as many busses to accomplish get- ism has caused in America. It ting students to school. could be easily predicted that a But the ultimate concern for worldwide pandemic would parents, teachers, and school affect poor people the most. The system leadership is the risk of lack of resources, un-sanitized spreading the virus. The living conditions, poor educachances of children getting sick tion, and low paying jobs prowhile at school is almost a vides opportunities for viruses given. With predictions from and other diseases to thrive. health officials about a second However the results of this wave or spike in coronavirus calamity may prove easy to precases right at about the time dict, not many people could that schools are preparing to open in the fall, many school have predicted that America leaders are a bit unnerved. would become the poster child If a child or teacher catches for the ever-growing disparities COVID-19 while at school, most between the wealthy and the will likely place the blame impoverished in an industrialsquarely at the feet of the school ized nation. system. Now, in addition to the The numbers are currently barrage of other issues, comes fluid, but the death rates are the potential for legal action. astounding by any measure and With pressure building from could only be compared to a the White House to harried parwar. African Americans only ents all over the country, the make up 33% of the population anxiety around opening schools in Louisiana, yet they account could not be more intense. for 70% of coronavirus deaths. “While we don’t know what In Michigan, African Americans it will look like come fall, we account for 14% of the populawill be delivering instruction tion and 40% of the deaths; and come August,” says APS in Chicago, 30% of population, Superintendent Munn.. 56% of deaths. Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – June 2020
12
Poverty is a problem for all Americans. Forty-two million Americans live under the poverty line that is 13.4% of the population. Many people, regardless of color, face many of the same obstacles that African Americans face. However, the high percentage of African Americans that contracted the coronavirus and the number of them that have died from the coronavirus is alarming. As of May 11, more than 17,000 African Americans have died from COVID-19, and more than 31,000 whites have died. Even though the 17,000 deaths in the African American community is lower than the total amounts of the white population, the extremely high percentage of death in the African American community is cause for great alarm. In May, African Americans have suffered 43 deaths per 100,000 people. That is compared to 18 per 100,000 for whites, 18 for Asians, 19 for Latinos. In Kansas City, African American residents are seven times more likely to die than whites from COVID-19, and in Missouri, Wisconsin, and Washington DC, the rates of deaths among African Americans is almost six times as high than whites. The coronavirus has not the root cause the