Going to School

I get that I have no dog in this fight at all, but I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I definitely get why even Democratic governors are eager to have some in-person school, and I really wish the issue hadn't been politicized by the asshole President, yet again, but I don't think it's inherently bad.

There are kids for whom school lunch and even breakfast are the best meals they get in a day. I had reduced cost or free lunch for the entire time I was in school, and I seem to remember breakfast at some point, maybe over a summer? I'm not certain. My mom certainly couldn't have stayed home with me in any case, so it likely would have been a question of me going to school or us having money for food and mortgage.

I also get that there is definitely institutional racism, but there is also definite institutional classism. There are poor kids and kids whose parents both /have/ to work a job for the family to get fed.

My perspective is that if parents can afford to keep their kids home and teach them remotely, DO IT. Do it even if it requires some lifestyle changes and added burden. Do it for the kids who have to go in-person. Do it so they can get a good meal, do it so their parents can work, and so the classes don't have to be crammed in as tight as usual. I see lots of parents complaining about how hard it is to deal with their kids and still work from home. Figure it out. There are people who aren't in that position and who /have/ to send their kids to school. Many of these people seem to see their kids as accessories rather than as their responsibility as humans, so I guess their shitty attitude makes sense.