While many countries in the world have, in spite of increasing numbers of infections with Covid-19, allowed schools to remain open, yet the US is keeping many closed. Articles in previous weeks have pointed to the fact that children are better off in school than at home, and chances of catching anything while at school extremely low. Time magazine reported that a “recent analysis of 106 school district plans by the Center on Reinventing Public Education found that just 10% were in-person at the beginning of September”. Experiences in other parts of the world are similar to the US, namely that “remote learning is filled with challenges, as students struggle to learn over computer screens and parents try to balance work with helping their children navigate online learning”. The children of wealthy families, able to afford private schools, better equipped to cope with this situation, have now created a further divide with poorer children at state schools, causing the level of learning to be further exacerbated. Political action and investment is required, yet President Trump, in his last debate with Joe Biden, ignorantly confirmed that the virus “will go away.” Urgent action is needed to salvage the academic year.
