In-person learning can’t be replaced
By Monet Elzey & Lude
Bonnet
It’s been 179 days since New
York City schools closed due to
the pandemic. Some of those
days have felt like weeks, while
others have passed with the
blink of an eye. But as parents,
one thing has remained constant:
our devotion to the health
and well-being of our children.
The shift to remote learning
in March was an incredible
feat by teachers, students, and
families. Countless hours have
been poured into keeping our
children on track over the past
six months, and the resiliency
of our communities has been
a beautiful thing to witness.
We made it through some of
the toughest days in our City’s
history, during the height of a
crisis no one could have ever
prepared for.
Today, we’ve made it through
the worst of that crisis—and
we’re uniquely positioned as the
only major school district in the
country able to safely send our
children back to school in the
fall. Our children, their education,
and their futures can’t
afford to wait.
As parents and educators,
we know there is no substitute
for the experience of being in a
classroom. Our children have
so much to gain from being
in-person with their teachers,
peers, and friends during this
critical time. One of us has a
son whose eyes light up when
he talks about going back to
his high school to start his
junior year. He can’t wait to
be back with his friends and a
step closer towards graduation.
The memories of when he first
began his educational journey
are still clear as day. It breaks
Parents and educators know there is no substitute for the experience of being in a classroom, write parents of New York
City school children Monet Elzey and Lude Bonnet. Getty Images
my heart to think about a world
in which he spends his last
moments as a New York City
student in our apartment every
day, away from his friends, and
separated from the teachers
who want him to succeed.
Being in school is an experience
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that can’t be replaced. And
that’s why we are so hopeful
we can make blended learning
work. It’s a chance to get our
children back to their classrooms,
where they learn best
with one another.
As of now, the majority of students
will begin the school year
in a blended learning model,
where they will be learning
in-person in their own school
buildings part of the week and
learning remotely during the
remaining days. Our schools
play such a critical role in our
communities, and hundreds of
thousands of New York City parents
are ready to safely get their
kids back to their classrooms.
Are we nervous? Of course,
we’re parents. We lie awake at
night thinking about our kids,
especially our youngest children.
How can we help them
understand that they can’t hug
their friends? Will they remember
to wear their masks all the
time? None of it will be easy.
Our young ones are dealing
with the change, confusion,
and even trauma the pandemic
has brought into their lives. The
social and emotional support of
educators, friends, parents, and
loved ones is needed more than
ever for all developing young
minds. We are so grateful for
the wrap-around care that is
already being planned out in
our school communities.
Planning for the school year
is never easy, but this fall has
required far more preparation
than ever. We’ve seen first-hand
the work our teachers, principals,
and even our Mayor and
Chancellor have put in to keep
our schools and classrooms
safe. A later start to school is
allowing educators and families
more time to thoroughly
prepare for the start of a school
year like no other, and mandatory
testing will help keep our
communities safe and healthy.
We refuse to put our children
in harm’s way. One of us
has a daughter who was diagnosed
with Lupus and making
sure she’s healthy has caused
many sleepless nights. So, safety
is absolutely non-negotiable.
Knowing that day-in and dayout,
there are teams disinfecting
the hallways, spacing out
classrooms, ensuring adequate
ventilation, and taking every
precaution necessary for our
children provides a little bit
of peace during this turbulent
time. Health and safety
are leading the way as schools
prepare a safe and supportive
learning environment for our
children, and we know school
leaders are doing everything
they can to start the school
year strong.
As parents, we’re reassured.
But above all, we’re hopeful.
We believe we can make this
work, and that we can give our
kids the kind of learning experience
they can only get in a
classroom. During this unprecedented
moment, we want
nothing but the best for our
children – and we know every
New York City parent wants
the same for their child. That’s
what we owe our young people.
Let’s do all we can to make that
a successful reality this year.
Monet Elzey and Lude Bonnet
are parents of New York
City school children.
OP-ED
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