Dr. Wendy talks to Troy Flint from the California School Boards Association to break down what Governor Gavin Newsom's Friday announcement about re-opening schools guidelines mean for parents, teachers and students. There's more to think about than just the obvious importance of our kids' education. For instance the number of new cases is surging throughout most of the entire state of California. 32 of 58 counties are above a determined threshold that puts them in the "red zone" classification. That's bad.
According to the CDC, children under the age of 18 all over the world only account for about 2% of the reported cases. So what's the big deal? Well, Flint reminds us that kids go to school with teachers. They most definitely are over the age of 18 and may have underlying health conditions. He says about 1/3 of teachers are over 50. He also notes that in recent years people have been having children later in life. Parents of 10-year-olds may be over 50, and frequently are. There's also the fact that grandparents often help out with child care or are living in a multigenerational home. They clearly are most susceptible to serious effects of COVID-19.
In California, health data will determine when a school can be physically open – and when it must close – but learning should never stop. - Governor Gavin Newsom
Dr. Walsh and Mr. Flint also go in to the impact on kids' academics, families and child care. He says ultimately, there is no substitution for in-person learning, but safety is the most important thing right now. He also says to parents that they shouldn't worry about lifelong learning loss. The kids will be ok if they miss a few assignments. He says the state is already looking at what will be done to catch kids up when all this blows over.
The most important takeaway, he says, is that parents shouldn't be beating themselves up.
For the State's Full School and School-Based Guidance, Click HERE