FYI from BSF, 4.10.20
Some things we have read through recently...
Risk
With schools closed down, coverage of education is way up.
A story from Monday stood out: an evocative description of days in the life of a Boston middle school child as he, his family, his school, and the school system grapple with social distancing and remote learning.
The story and the words didn’t just catch our eye. One picture did.
A 12-year old boy who is now responsible for gathering food for his family every day.
And he is not wearing a mask. And he is not wearing gloves.
This picture was taken before more restrictive guidance was issued by the city, albeit not as aggressive as others - for example, the City of Everett is no longer distributing meals through Everett Public Schools.
All that notwithstanding, the picture does capture the two different pandemics families with school-aged children are experiencing in this city.
There are families with an adult or adults working from home, time to manage (and even enjoy) their children, and have resources to rely on Amazon or Instacart to get through the week.
And there are families (like the one featured in the story) where adults need to leave the home to work - some with significant risk of exposure - and someone must venture out for food and essentials.
Different resources literally mean different health risks.
We covered the learning and social gaps that COVID-19 and school closures will likely accelerate. It’s good to see tools being created to help schools plan for this.
But the implications of this inequity are more dire. In America, African American deaths from COVID-19 are double their share of the population.
Which means, in Boston, COVID-19 rates track by race.
Notes in the Margin
Idaho, Washington, and Oregon all joined the growing list of states that have closed school for the remainder of the year or have not set a return date. Maine is considering this. More people are wondering if Massachusetts is next.
We should be keeping in mind how particularly challenging this time is for our students with significant special needs (and their families).
What is “vacation” during remote learning? Today, schools are “closed” and also on Patriots Day, but some school districts are cancelling April vacation.
Dr. Cassellius sat for an interview this week.
The deadline for districts to file their plans for the new Student Opportunity Act came and went.
What does this all mean for how Boston’s schools will change?
School Matters
Despite the times (and no live event), the Inner City Scholarship Fund raised a record amount to support low-income students.