Episode 275: The Debate over School Reopening

In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the debate over school reopening.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• When – and how – public schools should reopen has become a topic of intense controversy. Neil cited this Los Angeles Times piece about the “intractable learning loss” suffered by English Language Learners this year. Natalia referred to this New York Times article about whether “learning loss” should be assessed and to this Politico article about the demand by United Teachers of Los Angeles for free childcare as a condition of their return to the classroom. She also drew on this History Channel article about the trust in public schools that existed during the 1918 influenza pandemic. Niki cited historian Daniel Rodgers’ Age of Fracture, and each of our books: Classroom Wars, We Gather Together, and Messengers of the Right.

 

 In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the latest policing of Dr. Jill Biden’s self-presentation: her stockings.
• Neil discussed the HBO documentary Tina.
• Niki shared Gina Kolata’s New York Times article, “Kati Kariko Helped Shield the World From the Coronavirus.”