Fortune of School Choices

There’s no question the pandemic taught all of us many lessons. However, one, in particular, is going to have the largest long-term impact across communities and throughout society. And it emphasizes the importance of choices parents make for their children regarding schools.

When that March 2020 day came when we were told to come to pick up our kids, they were shuttled out of the school with trash bags full of books, computers, and school supplies, and we were informed by school leaders they weren’t sure when the kids were going back, it was scary. As a parent, the value of education is a top-level priority. Its true impact hit home when the kids were NOT in school.

In our case, we’re very lucky. When we moved back to Omaha, I forced my wife into choosing a house within the school district where I went to high school. In the middle of Omaha, it is a single high school district with six elementary schools. That choice and investment paid off in the pandemic. Our district had the kids back in school in early August. Full-time for the most part. Yes, in masks…but they were in school.

The largest school district in Nebraska kept the kids out of school for what seemed like forever. They canceled all extracurricular activities (sports, band, drama, etc.) for most of the year. Kids were isolated. The effects are now showing.

Now, in 2022, statistics/numbers are beginning to sneak out regarding kids’ performance during and because of the pandemic. For those who were out of the classroom the longest, the average four-year timeframe for successful graduation has seen a double-digit decrease. Proficiency in math and reading declined dramatically. Mental health challenges increased at an exponential level.

I know it’s hindsight and with hindsight is clear vision…but at the time I, and my wife, knew how important it was to get kids back in school. It’s the consistency of brain development and learning in a timely fashion. It’s social interaction. It’s social wellness as well as mental health. We lucked out. Our school district was fantastic and continues to be. And our kids benefit from that.

Here’s the trouble. Even though it’s not my kids, the kids who did nothing wrong and are suffering foolishness of adult decisions will someday be adults themselves. They will need jobs, paychecks, rent payments, house payments, car payments, and to be productive members of society. Will they be prepared? What is the damage of a year or more out of school? The problem is we won’t know until it’s too late. But the early answers do not lend themselves to large-scale positive outcomes for future adults in my community. Everyone deserves a chance and I hope the adults who made decisions for kids didn’t crush future opportunities.