Reply to honest question - what do we do with our kids after May 29?

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Reply to "honest question - what do we do with our kids after May 29?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]What we need to admit as a country is that public school IS childcare. We rely on it as such, and it’s our only form of publicly subsidized childcare or support to parents whatsoever. This is not to belittle the actual content of education, but it’s not optional, it’s essential. Most families and indeed our entire economy rely on it, but we are acting like it’s “just” to benefit kids minds. Clearly that’s not essential enough (actually learning) but it’s much bigger than that, it’s the engine of the economy as a whole. Should schools and teachers alone near that burden? No, but like all the other workers and systems mentioned, they probably have to. Like one teacher said we need to recognize this overall and not just during this pandemic. If schools are child care and we cannot work without it, then it should be the backbone of reopening plans to either reopen schools or childcare canters of some sort, or, to provide paid extended leave to parents in general. Basically it needs to be thought through as a vital service. In some countries childcare is free right now for essential workers. [/quote]

+1000

This post hasn't gained much traction, but it hits the nail on the head. The US has a spotty and insufficient safety net. Local taxes that fund public schools are the only safety net that can manage to get funding, then the federal government contributes as well.

We can either develop a different social safety net or we can massively increase school funding. However, I'm afraid we're not going to do either of those things and magically expect parents to get back to work without childcare. Little Mary goes to school two mornings per week, while her mom has shifts at the grocery store whenever they are assigned to her. It's a recipe for a massive depression and frankly, societal unrest. [/quote]

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