Many school systems have been impacted by state and federal guidelines to close schools in areas heavily affected by cases of COVID 19 (coronavirus). In the article, “The Impact of Coronavirus on the Educational System,” the author examines the logic behind such school closures. One of the factors is the idea that children may pose as vectors by which the virus can spread to the adults they come in contact with. They may present with mild symptoms and by the nature of children to get into each other’s spaces and share items, could pose a risk to their families and communities. Such closures have led to schools finding ways to move traditional face-to-face classes into an online environment. Such a massive move of so many students comes with its own challenges and can overlook other services that traditional classes served. For example, school lunches may be the only meals of many students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Schools are reaching out and finding ways for families to pick up meals during the closures but thought must be given to travel. If transit and other public systems stop operation, some students may be cut off from accessing those meals. Another service students miss out on during school closures are the wraparound behavioral services that many schools provide. How are families to access these type of services that could help students struggling with anxiety during this stressful period in the country?

I found that many of these affect not only children in the school system but their parents as well. If the parent is seeking higher education or working on getting their high school equivalency diploma, such a disruption in education and services for their children could create additional barriers for them and their goals. As an adult basic education instructor, I see students worried about their children and their education and often prioritize it over their own. Online educational resources can help their kids to access educational materials but whether the child’s parent can help them with it is another issue itself. The digital divide disproportionately affects those who are in low-income households with caregivers who lack a high school diploma. Will this massive move to providing online education be as effective as its intention? Will those who struggle be able to access support via online video conferencing apps such as Zoom or Google Hangouts? We shall evaluate and look back to lessons learned from this shift in education. I hope that the innovations help to revitalize our educational systems and find new ways to connect those at disadvantages.