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The more things change, the more they stay the same. Sandy Hook didn’t move the needle on gun control, and the pandemic hasn’t moved the needle on many of education’s pain points. Take, for instance, teachers on strike (Washington), safety threats to schools (Tennessee), ransomware attacks (California), localized teacher shortages (nationwide), bus driver shortages (New Jersey), masking concerns (Vermont), teacher pay (Arizona), education funding (Texas) and a desperate need for capital improvements (in general nationwide, as well as related to excessive heat and flooding). A few states are highlighted here, but the problems are everywhere. We are past due for solutions. Sometimes it seems as though starting over with a clean slate is the only (though most unlikely) way.
We don’t trust teachers? Seriously? The Washington Post gathers several recent surveys on different aspects of the public’s declining trust in teachers. The article details a host of causes.
Are charter, private and tech schools the answer? Virtual charter schools have seen an enrollment uptick, and private schools are experiencing a surge too. Is this a knee-jerk response to the pandemic, or will the trends continue? Would Sen. Tom Cotton’s American Workforce Act help?
Then you read the stories that give you hope. The collaborative Canopy Project features 161 school leaders working on K-12 innovation, creating reimagined and more responsive learning environments for all types of students. In a broader piece, Education Week has gathered several “Big Ideas” for transforming education.
Additional interesting education takes
- University students concerned about privacy aspects of technology. (Daily Trojan)
- What’s happening with all the pandemic-related education money? (The New York Times)
- The backstory on Fla.’s assertive education changes may link to a small college in Mich. (Slate)
- Anti-Defamation League agrees to review education materials that may be too far to the left. (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Diane Benson Harrington is an education writer at SmartBrief. Reach out to her via email, Twitter or LinkedIn.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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