Ah, the debate about public schools. On one hand, we have the little income kids who depend on those subsidized meals. Without public schools, our society would crumble like a stale cookie. On the other hand, we have a pesky pandemic that’s making everyone go bananas. Teachers and parents are terrified of opening schools without vaccines – it’s like a game of Russian roulette but with germs instead of bullets.

In 2020, the pandemic hit us like a ton of bricks, and American Federation of Teachers’ (A.F.T) Randi Weingarten made a bold move to keep schools closed for everyone’s safety. She wasn’t kidding around – safety measures were not enough to convince her to reopen schools. Instead, Weingarten saw an opportunity to use Covid to push for broader policy changes that the A.F.T. had long been championing for. Her plan was to cancel student loans, limit student testing, and ask for a $750 billion aid package to help schools reopen safely, among other things. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t respect the hustle.

But it seems like the strategy didn’t go as planned. Today, we’re looking at the aftermath, and it ain’t pretty. The lingering costs to public education are no joke.

Looks like the A.F.T. was hoping for a win-win situation, but instead, we got a lose-lose. It’s like trying to make a deal with a toddler who’s attached to his toy truck. The plan was to reopen schools safely, but Covid had other plans. The virus was like that clingy ex who can never take a hint.

In retrospect, it’s easy to see where things went wrong. If only we had 20/20 vision before 2020. Hindsight is a bittersweet thing. We can only hope that the future brings brighter days for public education. Stay safe, everyone.

Serious News: nytimes