By Lois E. Wilson
There have been quotes from various people with the thought “each day is a place we have never been before.” Therefore, each minute is a moment never experienced before—it is here and then gone forever. It may have been the future once, but it is now part of the past. The change has happened almost immediately. We had no choice in the matter.
John F. Kennedy observed: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.”
We are often confronted with other changes in which we have no choice. There are natural disasters and developments, wars, actions of others, financial ups and downs, and disease to name a few.
The Covid virus has forced us to give in, give up, or confront it with flexibility. There has been much discussion about the available vaccines and their effectiveness:
1. Do they have dangerous side effects?
2. How many should one get?
3. How often will it be until the next one will be offered to continue immunity?
4. Should they be mandated?
I am pleased when it is left a personal decision. A person’s medical situation should be considered when choosing. One’s doctors can help decide. I chose to become fully vaccinated.
Mandates for closing down schools or operating them within restrictions are imposed by some school districts, state, and local governments. Families have been affected by their choices.
Educators and Mental Health experts have warned about current and long-term education deficits being created by closing of schools, and digital learning. The deprivation of students in the learning, play, and sports interactions of an in-person school environment can be detrimental to mental well-being.
Parents have attended school board meetings to request their input be considered when making decisions about their children’s education. They believe school boards are elected by them to be their representative in decisions. A group of moms became upset at the National School Boards Association over a letter it sent recently to President Biden comparing parental behavior at school board meetings to “domestic terrorism.”
The education deficit hits the disadvantaged the hardest. They may not have the means to provide alternative education for the children. Home schooling, private schools or tutoring, open schools in other localities are often not affordable to them. Not every area is fortunate enough to have an organization, Empowering Darke County Youth, which is a non-profit tutoring program for grade school students. Check out its website. Remember: parents always have the right and responsibility to make choices about the education of their children—so be empowered to do so.