Posted on by Californiacontrarian

Who Benefits?/Plan B


Some teachers are saying that they will not fail a student during the pandemic. Ignoring what an individual student has learned or has not learned during this pandemic school year, but passing him/her anyway is doing a favor to whom? Who benefits? If anyone were to answer, “it’s a favor to the student,” my response would be, “if it really doesn’t matter if a student learns anything or not in non-pandemic years why not just always pass all students on to the next grade level, irrespective of how he/she actually does or how much he/she learns? Although I suspect that even in ordinary non-pandemic years, this is often done, the same question . . . “Who benefits?”

One of the reasons given for not giving any students a failing grade this year is that “they are having enough trouble as is without piling on a failing grade.” Are many students having a tough time during this pandemic? Undoubtedly. However, those students who come from lower income families are having more than just a tough time. It’s nearly impossible for them to learn from +/- adequate Zoom. Those students in whose home a language other than English is primarily spoken, are also having more than just a tough time. It’s nearly impossible for them also.

So what’s the answer? The best answer is to get all students back in the classroom, back to in-person learning ASAP. By doing this who would benefit the most? Those who are more disadvantaged would benefit the most. Will this happen here in California any time soon ? Not likely, for a variety of different reasons.

So what is plan B? 

As best I can tell there is no plan B. If this pandemic extends into the beginning of the next school year, is there a plan for public education? If there is a plan, to be charitable, it is being remarkably well hidden. If, despite a vaccine, or perhaps because of a vaccine, chaos continues as far as schools are concerned, now is the time to firm up a plan for the following school year. 

This is my Plan B:

The various school districts need to get commitments from teachers to be physically present in their classrooms. If they choose not to teach in-person, in the classroom, then so be it. No hard feelings. It’s their choice, but they will no longer be paid as Zoom will no longer be necessary. If more teachers are going to be needed, sign them up by April 1, 2021. There will be plenty of new graduates willing and able to go to work in the classrooms. Furthermore, I would advocate beginning the 2021 school year in July, at least for most school districts. The students have basically been on semi-vacation for more than a year, so why not get a head start back in the classroom?

Am I advocating a lot of out-of-the-box ideas? Absolutely, as the usual in-the-box strategy has not worked very well, has it?

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