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commentary It’s time to admit remote education a failure in US

Whenever someone expressed concerns about the quality of remote education back in the early days of Covid19, they were all but shamed into silence. No, the spring did not go well, but that was done on the fly, with next to no preparation. No, it’s not an ideal solution, but staying with in-person instruction is out of the question. There is a learning curve, we were told. We’ll get this thing right with time. Here’s how that worked out: In Houston, the number of students with failing grades is exploding. In St. Paul, Minnesota, a high school student is almost as likely to be on track to

Helaine Olen fail a class as pass it. In the junior high and high schools of Fairfax County, Virginia – one of the wealthiest counties in the United States –1 out of 10 students flunked at least two classes, and the number was almost double that for those with disabilities. Enrollment is falling in closed school districts from coast to coast and many points in between. Some children are exiting for private schools, or private pods. Others are simply MIA.

In the vast majority of cases, remote learning is a poor substitute for in-person education – no matter what efforts are made, no matter how many teacher trainings are offered.

It’s not simply a matter of subpar or nonexistent internet or computer access, something that impacts students from more than 4 million households. Small children, as it turns out, will not sit in front of a computer to listen to a teacher or complete an assignment without supervision. That means millions of parents – for the most part, moms – got conscripted as unpaid teacher’s assistants. And while older children don’t need parents next to them to do their work, they often won’t do it regardless.

Plus, children receive emotional support in school, both from teachers and socializing with peers. Minus that, parents report their schoolage children are experiencing increased moodiness, and difficulties regulating behavior and their attention.

And, of course, in the way it always works in the United States, minority and low-income students are feeling the impact the most, even though their educational outcomes were already at risk.

All of this could have, and should have, been known. Despite the proclamations of Silicon Valley that tech would revolutionize and improve education, the opposite reality has been apparent for years. A 2015 study of online charter schools by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes determined that students did better in math and reading when attending in-person schools, and concluded that “academic benefits from online charter schools are currently the exception rather than the rule.” One of the study’s authors, in a call with reporters, said the math results were so dismal it appeared as if “the student did not go to school for the entire year.”

This makes it imperative that we get all children back in the schools sooner rather than later.

But here the news is not good. Despite the fact that New York Mayor Bill de Blasio managed to get some elementary-school children back into the classroom, the doors remain firmly shut to those in the sixth grade and higher. Other major urban districts such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas remain remoteonly. And in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom, who sends his own four children to a private school open for hybrid learning, recently allowed the public schools that are open to remain open, but made it all but impossible for any more to reopen until Covid-19 caseloads fall significantly. (And this in one of the few states where year-round outdoor learning is actually feasible!)

Parents are getting increasingly angry. In New York City, parent protests were likely instrumental in getting the schools reopened. In California, a lawsuit was filed against the state Monday, charging that because minorities are less likely to attend remote schools, they are deprived of their constitutional right to an equal education.

This remote learning debacle cannot continue – the costs will be too high. Schools are an essential service, and teachers essential workers. If we continue to act otherwise, the consequences of the shuttered school buildings will likely haunt us for decades.

Helaine Olen is a contributor to The Washington Post.

DAILY REPUBLIC

A McNaughton Newspaper Locally Owned and Operated Serving Solano County since 1855 • Foy McNaughton President / CEO / Publisher This week’s quesTion:

Should California’s undocumented immigrants be excluded from the census?

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commentary caLmatters commentary To fight Covid-19, Biden, Harris should get vaccinated – and do it live on TV

Joe Biden and Kamala demonstrations have a Harris won’t be sworn long history. in as president and vice Weill Cornell Medical president for a few more College professor Kendall weeks, but there is some- Smith noted that in 1881, at thing powerful they can do the behest of veterinarian before that to combat the Hippolyte Rossignol, Covid-19 pandemic. As soon groundbreaking biologist as the Food and Drug Admin- Louis Pasteur performed a istration approves a coronavirus vaccine, Biden and Harris should take their doses. Alyssa Rosenberg public test of an anthrax vaccine for sheep before an audience of at least 200

And they should do it live on “government officials, local national television. politicians, veterinarians, farmers,

As much as people are desperate agriculturists, cavalry officers and for the novel coronavirus pandemic newspaper reporters.” to end, public trust in the forthcom- Jonas Salk gave an early version ing vaccines has fluctuated of his polio vaccine to his own significantly in recent months. In children, and the March of Dimes particular, Black Americans, wary of campaign against the disease a medical system that has sometimes photographed him delivering their abused them and continues to second doses as part of a national provide them with lower-quality publicity campaign. Maurice Hillecare, are highly skeptical. man, who developed a mumps

Biden and Harris can use their vaccine by isolating virus from his inoculations to take the public inside oldest daughter, had his younger the vaccine development and deliv- daughter photographed while ery process and, in doing so, build being inoculated. confidence in an unprecedented On Edward Murrow’s “See It scientific accomplishment. Such a Now,” Salk gave viewers what concrete demonstration of the historian David Oshinsky described vaccines could also help Americans as “an ‘on-camera demonstration’ of recommit to the public health monkey kidney tissue being ground measures that will be a bridge up like malt powder in a Waring between our current disaster and blender” in an effort to make clear the new normal we all hope will be how the vaccine was produced. Elvis here soon. Presley even got vaccinated for polio

During the campaign, Biden and before an appearance on “The Ed Harris walked an uneasy line when Sullivan Show,” with New York City they talked about the integrity of Health Commissioner Leona vaccine candidates. Both indicated Baumgartner holding his arm steady that they would trust scientists over for the shot. President Donald Trump about the A public vaccination campaign safety of any new vaccine, even as featuring Biden and Harris would be Harris suggested that the adminis- “a great idea,” says Paul Offit, who tration was interfering with experts’ runs the Vaccine Education Center abilities to speak freely. and is an attending physician at the

Whether that messaging contrib- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia – uted to concerns about a novel especially if such a program included coronavirus vaccine among Demo- figures who might appeal to audicrats is hard to measure. But there ences across political and cultural would be no better way for Biden and spectrums. Former president Barack Harris to clear up any residual Obama might be on board for such an ambiguity about their confidence in effort: In a Wednesday interview, he the approval process than to take a said, “I will be taking (a vaccine) and vaccine themselves. I may end up taking it on TV or

In fact, such public vaccine having it filmed just so people know I trust this science.”

Administering the shots live could help counter conspiracy theories about whether Biden and Harris had actually taken the vaccine. And done right, building specials around each shot of the two-dose sequence could make the vaccines more familiar.

As Offit writes in his book “The Cutter Incident,” a 1954 Gallup poll revealed that “more Americans knew about the field trial of Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine than knew the full name of the president of the United States.” That isn’t true with the novel coronavirus vaccines. Even wellinformed readers are likely to have questions about the leading candidates and what it’s like to receive one.

Pfizer’s drug, for example, needs to be stored at exceptionally cold temperatures. So, will the inoculation feel cold? Pfizer and Moderna reported that participants in their trials experienced only minimal side effects; Biden and Harris could tell viewers whether they felt sore or queasy after their first shots. These broadcasts could also include the scientists involved in vaccine development and the doctors who administered the vaccines fielding questions submitted by members of the public.

And Biden and Harris could also talk about what it feels like to cautiously set down the burden of fear that so many Americans have carried for almost a year. Even with a highly effective vaccine, it may be hard for many to unlearn the impulse to shy away from neighbors or to shed the anxiety that comes with walking into a store.

This new future is going to feel strange. By leading the way even before they’ve taken power, Biden and Harris can help us to grapple with that, all while making the case that it’s worth a few more months of patience and loneliness to get there.

Alyssa Rosenberg writes about the intersection of culture and politics for The Washington Post’s

Opinions section. GOP congressional wins set stage for 2022

It is remarkable – even Historically, the county amazing – that as Demo- has been solid Republican crat Joe Biden rang up a territory but Democrats have nearly 2-to-1 victory over been making inroads lately. Republican President Donald Democrat Hillary Clinton Trump in California this year, won it in 2016, the first Trump’s party regained four Democrat to do so in of the seven congressional 80 years, and Biden won seats it lost two years ago. it this year. California’s outcome was a big share of the Democrats’ Dan Walters The fourth Republican comeback was in the San nationwide loss of congressional seats Joaquin Valley’s 21st Congressional that reduced them to a bare majority. District, where former Rep. David

The GOP comeback was solidified Valadao narrowly defeated Democrat this week when the last few votes TJ Cox, who had ousted Valadao two were counted in the 25th Congressio- years earlier. nal District, one of the state’s most Of course, what happened this contentious political arenas in year merely sets the stage for suburban Los Angeles and Ventura 2022’s election, when Trump will be counties. gone and outcomes will be even

Democrat Katie Hill ousted less predictable. Republican Rep. Steve Knight in the For one thing, we don’t even know 25th District in 2018, one of seven how many seats California will have GOP-held seats to flip that year in a after the 2020 census is complete. wave of anti-Trump voting. But Hill Demographers believe it’s likely became enmeshed in a scandal over that California’s slow population her personal conduct and resigned. growth could reduce its allotment,

Republican Mike Garcia, a former now 53 seats, by one or two. However, Navy pilot, recaptured the seat for it could lose even more if the U.S. the GOP in a special election, Supreme Court, in a case that was defeating Democratic Assembly- argued just this week, supports woman Christy Smith, and the two Trump’s position that undocumented squared off again this year. This immigrants should be excluded from week, in the final count, Garcia eked congressional seat calculations. out a paper-thin victory, just a few California is home to as many as hundred votes. 3 million undocumented immigrants

Two of the GOP’s congressional and traditionally the decennial comeback wins came in Orange census has included them, along County, where Republicans Young with citizens and legal immigrants, Kim and Michelle Steel defeated in the complete count used to one-term Democrats Gil Cisneros determine the number of each state’s and Harley Rouda. congressional seats.

Were undocumented residents excluded, it would translate into roughly three fewer seats for California, on top of the one or two seats the state might lose due to its overall slow population growth.

That’s why California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has joined the Supreme Court battle over Trump’s directive.

“For hundreds of years, the U.S. Constitution has been clear: everyone counts,” Becerra said in a statement. “Here in California, we know that fundamental value extends beyond the census. No matter the color of your skin or where you come from, you count.”

However many seats California winds up having, their districts will be redrawn by a 14-member independent commission with five Democrats, five Republicans and four independents, and its first foray into redistricting a decade ago proved that its actions are not predictable.

We may not know how many congressional seats California will have in 2022, and we don’t know the shape of those districts. However, we do know that California will, as it did in 2018 and this year, play a significant role in determining which party controls Congress.