An inevitability of the pandemic is that no, or few classes, in an academic year leads to lower grades. The US is one of few countries where many schools continue to be closed since March. Despite evidence (propounded in these posts) that allowing schools to open does not impact negatively on the rate of infection, yet helps parents return to work as well as allow children to learn more productively. This Telegraph article reported that for “children aged 11- 18 there was an 83% jump in those with two or more ‘F’ grades, in the first quarter of the 2020-21 academic year”, in the Fairfax County Schools in Virginia. Worrying, the younger the children, the worse the results with those “aged 11- 13 the increase was 300%. Among girls in that age group it was 600%.” In Texas the biggest school in Houston, also using remote learning, “showed pupils with two or more ‘F’ grades up around 300%”. Decision-making on reopening is taken at state, and local school division level, based on virus metrics and input from teaching unions, and parents. Perhaps it’s time fewer people were consulted. To misquote Churchill “democracy is the worst form of Government”: fewer people should be consulted and scientific evidence prevail.
