This is not a football game, a tennis match, or even a race. There aren’t two opponents, rivals, teams going head to head. No one will get a medal or a trophy at the end. There are not set in stone rules and regulations that determine fairness and equity of “players”. This is Education. This is school. This is what people keep saying is our “new normal”. There are no clear cut, right answers, for anyone involved.
The student who needs to be at school to learn effectively?
The student who needs stability that school can offer?
The student living in a hostile home environment?
The student who gets off the bus and is cared for by an at risk grandparent?
The student with immunity issues?
The high school senior deserving of high school memories?
The kindergartner deserving of a new backpack and new experiences and the classic 1st day of school photo?
The parent with no childcare during remote learning?
The parent with a child who is at risk but has no choice but to send their child so they can work?
The teacher who has no childcare?
The teacher who is fearful for her family but cannot quit work because there are bills to pay?
There is no right answer. There cannot be a decision that fixes everyone’s issues. This “new normal” is one that I have a hard time accepting.
What CAN we make a “new normal”?
Understand and empathize with each persons unique situations. What works for one family doesn’t for another. There are not two sides. There is one collective group of us that will HAVE to work together for any of this to actually be productive.
Respect everyone’s feelings. They are ALL valid. You do not have to agree with them to be respectful. The students feelings of sadness because they can’t attend, totally valid. The parent relieved that the decision was made for them because honestly, they are scared to death to send their child back. The parent frustrated because they have no childcare, valid. The teacher who is stressed and doesn’t know what decisions will be made from day to day, valid.
Stop placing blame. The president, the governor, the superintendent, the principal, the teacher, the parent....no one is to blame here except a pandemic. A nasty, ugly, virus that has created such turmoil for every single person living in this great big world. No one has been unscathed by this. Not one single being.
We are normalizing hatred and division. We are encouraging lashing out and making people feel inadequate, ashamed, and defeated. We can not control the pandemic. We can control how we treat other people. I’ve been guilty too. I’ve had days where I’ve been so completely negative and “in my feelings” and I had to step away. I’m working on it. I’ve been practicing saying: I can’t imagine how you must feel. This is such a hard situation for everyone. I’m proud of you for making such a difficult decision.
Let’s pull together. We can’t change the input but we can change the output.