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Today, July 22nd, the superintendents of the public school districts of Seattle, Bellevue, Northshore, and Renton announced they plan to keep schools closed for the foreseeable future. This follows Monday’s announcement that the Kent School District will not reopen schools in the fall.
Superintendent Juneau of Seattle Public Schools pleasantly calls it “opening online.” This is the same as saying “I’m keeping schools closed.”
District teachers and other employees will continue to receive full salary and benefits. Wealthy and upper-income families will have no problem adapting to full-time online instruction. The Seattle Superintendent’s decision to keep schools closed indefinitely will fall hardest on single-parent households and students of color. This is the same district which only a few months ago claimed it would direct resources to “those furthest from educational justice.”
Seattle families are on their own. Families should receive 15 percent of Seattle’s per student funding, or $3,000 per student, to pay for learning services. Parents in other school districts should receive the same resources. Giving families this direct aid for the education of their children would allow parents to hire tutors, buy technology, curricula, or pay private school tuition.