Lessons for another "unprecedented" school year
Let’s take a look and see what we share in lessons learned and how we can take those lessons into the upcoming academic year.
As the summer heat continues to loom, many families are getting ready to send their children back to school. A mix of emotions hangs in the air across Oregon—excitement, nervousness, hesitation, celebration, ambivalence. Teachers, students, and families have spent most of the past 17+ months navigating shared wifi, Zoom classes, hybrid classes, online classes, school from kitchen tables and cars, masks in schools, and more. These already tough hurdles came on top of navigating the pandemic, raging wildfires, and ongoing efforts towards racial justice. It has been a long year for everyone.
In thinking about the upcoming school year, it’s worth reflecting about what we have learned thus far from the pandemic as we try to shift to a new normal, modify our expectations, and reexamine our priorities. As I am among the many parents with children returning to full time in-person learning next month (COVID-19 pending, of course), I have been reflecting on the most important things I’ve learned during these “Zoom” days. I have also been paying attention to the lessons learned by others in similar situations. Let’s take a look and see what we share in lessons learned and how we can take those lessons into the upcoming academic year.
Life can change in a moment’s time
I never thought I would experience a global pandemic. Outside of epidemiologists (those who study disease), most people likely didn’t think they would either. I spent many days during the pandemic thus far thinking about the role disease has played in the decimation of Indigenous people. I am grateful that my ancestors survived different waves of disease. It was that deep sense of gratitude that helped get me and my family through a year of isolation, smoke-filled skies, and death. I will take that gratitude with me as we slowly return back to more interactions with others and notice those missing in our collective presence. I ask readers, what is it that pulled you through all the changes these past 17 months? How will this help you in preparation for back to school and the changes that may come with that?
What we thought wasn’t possible just may be
Guess what, it is possible to allow parents that struggle with child care to work from home when they need to. It is possible to offer online options for students who are not able to thrive with in-person learning. It is possible to provide free meals for all students. It is possible to form relationships between families and schools based on what is in the best interests of each student. For years, many of us have been told these things were not possible or feasible. Yet, this past year has shown that what is possible is not as limited as we thought.
We rely on public education for more social services than we realize
One of the most apparent realities revealed by 17+ months of COVID is that we need public education and after-school programs for parents and caregivers to work. Some families had to make tough decisions on who could or could not stay home and work remotely while their children were in school remotely. Some people lost jobs as a result. Some children were home alone as a result. This reality had many of us question if the role of public education is, in fact, about more than just education.
Other needs provided by schools that came into the spotlight were free meals, counseling services, emotional support, shelter for part of the day, and intervention in response to unsafe situations. All of this is done on top of educating youth across the state. How our public education system does this with generally limited budgets is amazing. And, I can’t help but think of how much stronger these services provided could be if public education was more well-funded. We, as the public, expect so much from the schools in the state. And we should. In all reality, we need schools to function if we are to thrive as a society. For schools to meet our lofty expectations and needs, we need to support programs that are designed to meet essential community needs.
The inequities experienced in public education are real
Race, gender identity, sexuality, and disability are often understood as parts of students’ identities that impact their learning—though not as core components despite the reality that they are. Yet, the past 17 months have helped center these aspects of students’ lives in thinking through how to structure our education system.
Some of the educational barriers related to inequalities of access, settings, and lived experiences have finally entered the public eye. Cultural differences, implicit biases, and racially-disproportionate application of school rules are all topics actively being discussed by members of our school communities.
This is not to say there is not much work still to do around equity in public education. Rather, it is to say, we can make changes that center the needs of the most institutionally unsupported students in ways that end up benefiting all students. Rather than shy away from conversation about equity in public education, learning what that really means will only help strengthen the experiences of everyone.
Four lessons learned over the last 17 months have been covered, yet there are many more. And, several more questions come to mind.
How will we take these lessons with us to help strengthen the experiences of all of us who call Oregon home?
How will we continue to reshape what “normal” is as we return to school across the state?
Lastly, what steps will you take so these lessons create the changes needed?
I plan on using that gratitude mentioned in lesson one to center the steps I will take. I hope you join me.
Luhui Whitebear (she/her) is Coastal Chumash. She is a mother, poet, and Indigenous activist. Luhui is passionate about disrupting systems of oppression and creating positive change in society.
Photo credit: "Chopperz 65" by SupportPDX is licensed under CC BY 2.0