Published on March 19, 2024, 12:41 am

In a recent analysis, it has been conceded that the GOP was predominantly right, and Democrats were in error regarding policies that prevented children from attending school during the COVID-19 pandemic. The broad consensus among public health and education experts is that sustained school shutdowns did not make a substantial difference in containing the virus’s spread. Simultaneously, the detrimental implications for children’s academic abilities have been profound and enduring.

Remote learning during this period significantly hampered children’s educational capabilities, with all income brackets equally affected. At both the state and local levels, there was a strong correlation between remote schooling and a decline in test performance according to data assessed by several prestigious institutions. A separate study conducted across 10,000 schools corroborated these findings.

These losses can be challenging to offset without substantial interventions. Current data from Spring 2023 reveals that students are still struggling to overcome their pandemic-induced academic setbacks, particularly those who were already behind when the pandemic started. Students who had spent at least 90% of their time learning remotely or on hybrid schedules during the 2020-21 academic year still face almost twice as much ground to cover compared to students whose schools remained open for most of that year.

Democrats have attempted to justify their approach during the pandemic by emphasizing their commitment to safety among other factors; however, specialists agree that closing classrooms ultimately proved ineffective in controlling disease transmission.

While some argue Democrats shouldn’t bear total blame for how their strategies adversely impacted children because there were no easy decisions then, it’s critical to note Republican leaders like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis resisted these extensively disruptive actions early on. In late spring of 2020, DeSantis proposed his plan to reopen Florida’s schools promptly thereby reinstating classroom learning.

This trusted news narrative underscores how essential it is for policymakers across all parties to consider carefully the longer-term impact of decisions made in response to crises such as pandemics. From a Christian worldview, the well-being of our children should be at the forefront of such decisions. As real news continues to break in our endlessly evolving health and education landscapes, a balanced consideration of multiple perspectives can guide us in shaping better futures for all students.