Lockdown, distance learning likely to increase social class achievement gap
This is my US-based perspective:<p>Closing schools last year due to COVID was as bad of a policy as putting COVID patients in nursing homes (looking at you MN and NY).  We knew by September of <i>last year</i> that kids were less impacted by COVID (they spread it less, they get less ill etc).  We learned from Europe that it wasn&#x27;t killing teachers at an increased rate either (a fear-based argument I heard ad nauseum in my very blue state).<p>There was no good science-based argument to close schools last year in the US, especially when restaurants and hair salons were reopened. But political polarization - exacerbated by the media - ensured we did the worst possible thing for our children.  I am continually disgusted with every person I encounter who promoted (and in many cases still promote) remote learning.<p>Rich parents could afford professional tutors and create pods and go to other great lengths to ensure their kids got <i>some</i> education.  Meanwhile the poor parents were going to work in-person and leaving their kids to fend for themselves (many of whom, at least where I live, turned to committing crimes)<p>The most disgusting part is the people most in favor of closing schools were rich, left-leaning white collar workers.  Nevermind that the very people they purportedly want to help with their policies were the most harmed.  As long as you say the right words, who cares about outcomes yeah?