Pandemic parents need solid solutions, not constant crisis and conflict

History will judge education advocacy not by its flame-throwing, but by its ability to get the most number of kids into safe harbor during these tough times.

It's a new year, but it doesn't feel new. 

Normality is dead. Pandemic parenting is taxing our energy. The news media is a frustrating oracle spitting out conflicting advice and little hope. 

And our leaders, elected, appointed, and otherwise installed, are letting us down.

So while we find ways to act normal throughout the day, shopping, eating, joking, and so on, the backdrop of our performance is an unavoidable feeling that we're in deep dung.

My family is making do with what we can. We're carefully counting our blessings and feeling a bit of middle-class survivor's guilt, knowing things could be worse for us. But, we know that endemic COVID is irreparably damaging daily life and robbing our kids of childhood. Just as my generation knows the difference between pre-internet life and post-internet life, our kids will see the difference between pre-pandemic freedom and post-pandemic social decay. So, I mourn yesterday for them while worrying about tomorrow.

The thing that is becoming clear for me is that the education advocacy many of us have participated in for years is essential but insufficient to meet the needs of this moment. Yes, we need solid educational leaders and governance. While we're at it, how about well-prepared and supported teachers? And an effective curriculum supported by evidence. And safe schools that use time well. Don't forget adequate funding spent on what matters most in classrooms and varied pathways to learning for diverse student bodies (especially for families living in opportunity deserts). That all adds up to a solid plan for me. But, if the Twitter world and education reporting are any gauges of current affairs, this plan is no longer the marque agenda of what we once called "reform."

"Reform," as we've known it, is now dangerously saddled with disaster opportunism, cultural chauvinism, and momentary thinkers. That isn't its worst sin either. Instead, it appears to be a weak match for the urgent and practical problems families and children - and those who serve them - are experiencing. Reform should prove its utility during a tough time, but instead, it demonstrates its ability to admire the flames as the house goes up in smoke. 

Surely you've heard the opposite of my analysis here. You've probably listened to the heralding of a "school choice wave" and a cathartic parent uprising that demands long fought for reforms.

I've heard it too. It's watery bullpoop boiled into an irresponsible stew of wishful thinking. 

To the extent that some state education laws have changed (or energy among some parents has shifted), the laws have been too small to help many people at scale, or they've been bad laws.

Reformers who stick with their narrowly focused policy playbook are being useless evangelicals right now; faith-based individuals who promise vouchers will get your kids into schools that don't exist even as you struggle with where to put your kids today.

At best many of our comrades are thinking too small, aiming to simply keep schools open at all costs while ignoring the vast complexities and realities that make that goal difficult. 

At worst, some of our "acquaintances" are seeing this as an opportune moment to capitalize on divisions, uncertainty, and strife to achieve short-term policy wins that - like so many reforms before - are sold with great fanfare as monumentally important even as evidence mounts that their impact will be marginal.

Suppose “reform” wants to be an honest contender in public policy. In that case, they'll put their substantial dollars, infrastructure, intelligence, and workforce to good use by delivering solid information, scalable solutions, and effective educational alternatives to the public. 

It's not enough to relentlessly poll the public with artfully worded questions and use the unsurprising data for campaigns or communications battles that do more for the substantial egos of campaign leaders than for advancing educational opportunities for civilians. 

It's not enough to throw rocks at schools and districts that are struggling to keep staff in their buildings and kids from infecting each other if you can't staff their schools or provide facilities for kids to be safely educated.

Any fool can complain. Any moneyed advocacy group can throw rocks and buy media appearances. Any robot can retweet statistics about how much schools spend and question "where is the money?!"

Any self-serving unaccountable opportunist can find a way to make themselves famous for spraying gasoline on a forest fire, but it takes a true firefighter to know where to plant little fires that save the greatest number of trees.

It takes real leaders to say, "I have built a place where your kids can weather the storm. I've found a solution that will ease your stress and help you sleep again." 

I see many of God's people putting their heads down and delivering for us within my network. They offer Freedom Schools, new culturally-affirming learning platforms, remote learning options, information-rich parent support groups. Educational collaboratives for parents at all income levels. Parent-teacher dialogues that strengthen the home-school relationship. Pipelines to get more qualified adults involved in teaching. Expanding independent schools to offer more in-person options in places where there are few. I could go on. Together these humble workers represent the timely "reform" energy we need. They are part of the put-up or shut-up crowd who know that two vouchers in a bush aren't nearly as attractive as one safe place for kids to learn today.

More than ever, as a parent and advocate, I appreciate thoughtful, competent, and dedicated people who say, "I don't have all the answers, but we're in this together, and damn it, we're going to get through it!"

America and the world have been through tough times before, and one thing I'm sure history has taught us is that naysayers and their empty criticism weren't the answer.

By contrast, it was good people - intelligent, conscientious, and committed to the common cause - that made the difference.

Let's be good people.