If you’re a parent, grandparent, student, know anybody between the ages of 5-18, or if you work for the public school system in any capacity, you’ve probably heard talk about schools reopening this fall. Should students and teachers return to the classroom full time? Should districts continue with virtual learning only? Perhaps a hybrid model of in-person and virtual is best?
As school districts across America attempt to create plans for the opening of the 2020-21 school year, tensions are high. Opinions are streaming from the fingertips of concerned parents, teachers, and citizens on social media just as quickly as toilet paper flew off the shelves back in March.
Has the bombardment of nonstop opinions, “expert” advice and subsequent debating and bashing of each other on social media and other platforms made your head feel like it might explode? It sure has mine.
The list of questions that begs to be answered about the upcoming school year is extensive, and I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly not envious of those tasked with the responsibility of determining which course of action to take. The logistics of a safe return are overwhelming to say the least, and to many, the thought of not returning in person at all is simply devastating.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a perfect solution and that’s what makes this all so frustrating! No matter what plans are laid out in front of us, some will cheer while others spit fire.
If we take a step back and think about all we’ve been through the past 4 months I think it’s fair to say this pandemic has been grating on our nerves. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard someone say, “I’m over it,” I’d at least have enough money to buy a bottle or two of hand sanitizer by now!
The uncertainty. The fear. The frustration. The loneliness. The economic ramifications. All of it.
The initial lack of information was quickly followed by information overload. People picked their preferred scientist, health care expert, and politician to listen to and believe whole-heartedly. Opinions were made and lines were drawn in the sand.
The thing about opinions though that I feel like we sometimes forget is that they’re not facts, which can be proven. They’re based on facts (hopefully) but mixed in with one’s opinions are also individual ideas and perspectives, which make us, and therefore our opinions, unique. Because an opinion cannot be proven, there is no such thing as a “right” or “wrong” opinion. Isn’t it a relief to know it’s OK if people don’t always agree with you?
Having an opinion is a good thing, and truly listening to the opinions of others, whether they line up with our own or not, is a sign of maturity. That’s right. Even the opinions that are different than our own are beneficial. Why? Because we can learn from them. Because differing opinions bring with them various perspectives, ideas, and truths.
“Opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance.“
Plato
Forming an opinion means you’ve gained enough life experience or knowledge to formulate ideas, likes/dislikes, etc. about a given topic. Opinions show growth! By reading, listening to various experts, and engaging in meaningful conversations with others, we move ourselves along a continuum of sorts, from ignorance to acquired knowledge.
Here’s the kicker though, and perhaps you remember your teachers emphasizing this in high school or college: You shouldn’t get all your information from the same source! We must be willing to consider the ideas and perspectives of those that we don’t see eye to eye with, and here’s why:
“The best ideas emerge when very different perspectives meet.”
Frans Johansson
Your unique situation and perspective on life will probably influence your opinions pretty quickly one way or the other. However, only reading articles, watching documentaries, or talking to people who agree with you isn’t doing you (or anyone else around you) any favors, because your knowledge will become limited and one-sided.
The problems our society is facing, and more specifically, the issues concerning the reopening of our schools, cannot be solved by those who are unwilling to listen and consider the thoughts and opinions of others. Having an “us vs them” mentality is a surefire way to drive people apart. Instead, let’s try coming to the table with mutual respect and cooperation in an attempt to make the most of an extraordinarily complex situation.
Remember, my opinion doesn’t make me right and you wrong, just like your opinion doesn’t make you right and me wrong. The reality is there’s probably some amount of truth in BOTH of our opinions. When we recognize this, we can stop being so defensive and…
Just. Listen.
Listen to the concerns of the single mom with small children at home who works 2 jobs to survive. Listen to the parents who both work outside the home just to make ends meet. How will they manage virtual learning?
Listen to the teacher near retirement age who has underlying health conditions and is worried about teaching in the classroom 5 days a week, 7 hours a day with 25+ children. Or the young teacher that just found out she’s pregnant. Or the bus driver whose husband is high risk. “Just get another job,” isn’t a very helpful thing to say to those in this position.
Listen to the parent who’s concerned about their child who needs special education services.
Listen to the high school student who says they want to go back to school just to hang out with their friends. Maybe what they’re trying to say is their mental health is suffering but they don’t know how else to express the feelings they’re having.
Listen to the 7 year old who is scared of wearing a mask all day because it’s hard to breathe.
Listen to the moms and dads who work from home and aren’t looking for a “babysitter” in a teacher, but still find it extremely difficult to do their jobs effectively with 5,724 interruptions a day when their children are home.
Listen to the person who has already lost a loved one to COVID-19 and is on a mission to save others the pain they’ve experienced. What do you think data points and cries of “There’s nothing to be afraid of,” mean to them? Nothing. Because they’ve been living a nightmare and their loved one isn’t just a number.
Just. listen.
Absorb what the people around you are saying and realize that much is being left unsaid. Think about how it’d feel to be in their shoes. Try to see things from their perspective.
And after you’ve done all that, then respond. Not with condescending words and accusations, but with kindness. With respect. With words of encouragement and understanding.
We can do this because we’ve taken a step back and realized these issues we face aren’t us-vs-them, you-vs-me issues. We know that not everyone is going to view the world, the pandemic, the new school year, race, politics, religion, (you name it) the same way we do. And we know this is OK!
It won’t solve all our problems, but acknowledging our differences and respecting each other’s opinions will, at the very least, create an atmosphere where meaningful discussions can happen and creative solutions can be discovered.
After all, we’re all in the same boat. Or are we?
Great post!! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you and it’s my pleasure!
As one of the ones responsible for making these decisions for my district — thank you for these words!
You’re welcome. I have no doubt that you and your team have spent countless hours trying to choose the best course of action! Wishing you a wonderful school year- regardless of what it ends up looking like!