Education, Equity, and Engagement During COVID-19
In Vermont (like other places around the country), the closure of school buildings has made plain the serious inequities that are present in our communities. Without the safety net of school, many of our kids are experiencing food insecurity, hunger, and isolation from the electronic highway that has become an essential resource for all families.
There is another kind of inequity that I have observed in my work with school districts over the years. This inequity has to do with the power imbalance that well-meaning educators often perpetuate when working with students and families. Modern educators have years of training and expertise to bring to their craft. And with the increasing requirements and pressures on schools, it can feel impossible to make room for a different kind of expertise; the wisdom that students, families and communities bring to the table. Creating opportunities for students and families to have a meaningful say in education decisions takes intention, time and energy. These are often in short supply among educators who are working hard to make sure that all students have what they need to learn and succeed; an ever more demanding challenge when inequities are at the highest levels in 50 years.
The Coronavirus Pandemic, and the heroic response of our school leaders and educators has created an interesting set of opportunities to begin to shift this dynamic. During this time, educators and school leaders have demonstrated an unprecedented level of creativity, ingenuity, and innovation in how they are working with each other and with their communities.
Expert educators are sharing knowledge and power with a range of old and new partners, including families. This is an excellent silver lining that raises big questions about the role of our communities and our students in the future. As John Downes and James Nagle write in a recent VT Digger commentary, “This pandemic will inform who our children become, and what they believe about family, society, democracy, and the role of schools. They will learn all this not just by watching adults but also through the roles they play in addressing the challenges they and their communities will face.” We can start to offer an expanded role for students and families right away. We hope school leaders will apply the creativity and dedication they have shown so far in this crisis to the task of ensuring that students, families and the broader community have a meaningful voice in helping to answer some of the pressing questions that lie ahead. Three immediate questions come to mind that could be answered best in partnership with students, families and communities:
How do we create and celebrate meaningful end of the year milestones in a time of social distancing?
How will students and staff come back together in school buildings in ways that are safe and feel welcoming to all?
What has the pandemic taught us about the nature of the inequities that exist in our education system and how to address them?
If educators engage with the community around important questions like these, their investment will build the trust, relationships, shared understanding, and good will needed to navigate the choppy waters ahead. Schools can’t do it alone. During this time we need to rely on one another, create a space for diverse voices to inform our thinking and decision making, and share both the burden and the benefits of solving the challenges that lie ahead.
Vermont’s school leaders and educators have led the way during this crisis, attempting to move us towards an education system that doesn’t leave any students or families behind. We hope they can take a deep breath, celebrate all they have accomplished, and continue to make room for students and their families to have a meaningful say in helping to shape what happens next.