The American way: making it seem like you’re doing something when you’re not really

The pandemic once again reveals one of the truisms of American life: political power is what matters

Photo by David Veksler on Unsplash

So once again our lives are thrown into chaos with my grandson’s school closing again. He is now expected to do his kindergarten schoolwork online, a tall order for a five-year old. Where he once was excited to learn, couldn’t wait to go to school, now he dreads the online meetings he has to attend.

If it seems that he’s a little young to be getting burned out, you’re right. But online schooling is no substitute for young children, for whom playing with other kids is their primary means to learn. Depriving them of that interaction is seriously harmful, and we will be dealing with the ramifications of these lost years far into the future. My grandson, like his peers, will never be five years old again, and so the opportunities for learning that come at that age will never return.

Young children are not the only ones harmed by closing down schools, however. Teenagers are also harmed by social isolation. While they may be better able to manage online learning than young children, the isolation we are imposing upon teens can lead to long-term mental and physical health issues.