There’s no alternative: Go back to the table

Today, the Columbus City School Board released an “alternative opening plan” involving remote learning in the event of a teacher strike. Here was my reply to them.

Good evening,

As a proud CCS parent, I was dismayed to receive the “alternative opening plan” from the district today. We have all seen firsthand the detrimental effects of remote learning on students’ comprehension, performance, mental health, and well-being. Last year, the district was so committed to the essential benefits of in-person learning, it was using “all in” as a social media hashtag. To now tell parents that substitute teachers on a screen and busywork on chromebooks are an acceptable replacement for the in-school experience is insulting to parents, teachers, and students — and in direct opposition to the message that we heard from CCS leadership this time last year.

Getting to know the classroom routine, the teacher’s expectations, and the names of peers are the most important things students learn during the first week of school. Reconnecting with old friends on the playground and sharing summer vacation stories are exciting back-to-school rituals for kids. None of this can happen remotely.

This plan is profoundly unfair to students who have not had a normal school year for three consecutive years. It is a huge ask of parents and caregivers who have been struggling to balance COVID disruptions and their careers. And above all else, it’s demeaning to the teachers who have sacrificed so much to give our students the education and school experience they deserve during the most difficult years of their lives.

Please go back to the bargaining table with open minds and work with the CEA to find a solution. It’s the right thing to do, for our kids, teachers, and our city.