Education is at a crossroads

A retrospective examination of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on public education reveals some alarming statistics. Since the “end” of “virtual” education and the return to a more traditional setting, educators and researchers (National Center for Education Statistics; NCES) studying public education have noted a 56% increase in classroom disruptions from student misconduct, a 48% increase in disrespectful behavior towards teachers and staff, and a 49% increase in disruptions and rowdiness on school grounds during break times and transitions from class to class.

Additionally, NCES noted a 79% increase in student or staff mental health concerns, while 87% of those interviewed reported that the pandemic has negatively impacted socio-emotional development. Seventytwo percent of schools across the country reported a rise in chronic absenteeism among students, with a corresponding rise in absenteeism among teachers.

Let’s face it; the pandemic did a number on us all, and public education bore the brunt of much of the chaos that ensued from months and even years of less than optimal learning situations.

Right here in “River City” we’ve got problems. We are witnessing an increase in negative student behavior, including vaping of narcotics, bullying, and absenteeism while struggling to find fully trained substitute teachers and effective teacher aides. The school board has attempted to address these issues with the creation of several positions whose job description addresses the amelioration of student problems including drugs and absenteeism. All well and good.

I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that regardless of how “effective” schools are, they didn’t “start the fire” relative to the pandemic and really cannot be blamed for what occurred during the pandemic. I think that for the most part, public schools did the best they knew how to do.

Sadly though, in some communities, COVID issues leaked into the political realm relative to CDC and CDE (Colorado Department of Education) guidelines prompting community backlash, which further exacerbated an already untenable situation.

The pandemic is over, and while I hate the term “new normal” it does seem to fit to some extent. Public education is now charged with adapting to the new normal which includes children with elevated levels of anxiety, social isolation, and depression. The “same old, same old” just won’t get the job done.

It is interesting to note that while national trends indicate that the majority of schools are struggling with student and teacher issues, some schools are actually thriving and seem to have found “the sweet spot” in terms of student achievement and teacher satisfaction. While 72% of schools report an increase in chronic absenteeism, 28% don’t share that reality.

There are issues that schools simply can’t control. For example, the schools are not responsible for parents divorcing, parental drug and alcohol use, parental incarceration, and other similar sorts of things. We all know that these social issues do create a crucible in which the iron rods of student misbehavior and absenteeism are forged.

But all that said, there are issues for which the schools are responsible. For example, if schools don’t have adequate busing, studies show that children of lower income families will have poorer attendance, often through no fault of their own. It’s hard to get kids to school if the car battery is dead, and when the temperature outside is below freezing and children must walk a great distance, absenteeism will often follow.

Perhaps the best example of how schools can be a bigger part of the “solution” is relative to the notion of “climate and culture.” A wise man once advised me concerning teaching that “the students probably won’t remember what you’ve taught them, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” He went on to add that when teachers are more concerned about the curriculum than they are the students, student achievement will suffer. Conversely when teachers care more for the students, higher achievement becomes the by-product.

While I applaud the good intentions of educators and school boards to “fix” what they see as broken, I would encourage them to do a deeper dive into the selective issues upon which they are focused, to ensure that a “root cause” is ascertained. Without that, “symptoms” often become “the problem.” Take students “acting out.” Sometimes, this is a “symptom” of educationally-related systemic issues, which (if these issues aren’t addressed and remediated) then becomes a problem.

The term “acting out” is often misunderstood because we forget the entire phrase. These youth aren’t “acting out” Shakespeare, but rather are “acting out their feelings” which might include anger, frustration, emptiness, feeling like they’re always being picked on, etc.

In addition to focusing on vaping, bullying, and truancy, schools would be wise to ensure that each member of the staff, from the custodians to the cooks to the bus drivers to the secretaries to the classroom teachers to the administrators, adopt the mantra that “every child matters,” and that the manner in which we relate with them will make a difference in the arc of their educational experience.