They deserve our praise

These last few months have been challenging for most everyone. Our normal routines and activities that previously provided structure have been turned upside down. The state’s educational system has faced sweeping changes and has been forced to dramatically adjust the ways in which teachers connect to their students. New York’s educators and administrators have put in an incredible amount of work to make the most of a difficult situation.

We recently celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week, and I cannot think of a better example of all the work these incredible people do than what we have seen this academic year. Their ability to adapt during this unprecedented educational upheaval is remarkable. Teachers’ dedication to students, willingness to go above, and beyond and their daily professionalism deserves our recognition. We are fortunate that our youngest New Yorkers are in the hands of teachers who care so deeply and compassionately about them.

As educators rise to the occasion, they regularly deal with the challenges their students face in a new and unfamiliar environment. Children have not been able to see their friends and classmates each day and are missing the benefits of in-class instruction time. It is through innovation and creativity that schools and teachers are finding new ways to connect and improve students’ ability to work independently and with focus. 

Recently, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has made plans about “reimagining” education on the other side of this health crisis. He questioned the need for the traditional classroom model and announced that he would partner with Microsoft founder Bill Gates on advancing the use of technology in the education. For parents and teachers who lived through previous forays of the Gates Foundation into New York’s educational system, this is hardly welcome news. There may be a number of ways technology can, and will, offer new educational opportunities. But, right now our focus must be on eradicating this terrible virus, reopening society, and getting children back in classrooms with their peers as soon as possible.

 These are uncertain times, especially considering the enormous budgetary shortfalls we are expecting in the next few years. Now is not the time add even greater uncertainty into an education sector facing tremendous pressures. Now is the time for damage control; it is the time to offer any protections we can to our most important institutions. Our children need socialization, interaction, and togetherness. This must be the priority of any plans for our state’s education system.

 Ultimately, we are going to be OK. New York, especially, has always rallied in times of crisis and our capacity for kindness and compassion is unrivaled. We are strong. For now, keep doing the best you can and take care of each other; that is all we really can do right now.      

William (Will) A. Barclay, Republican, is the New York Assembly Minority Leader and represents the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton, as well as the town of Lysander in Onondaga County and town of Ellisburg in Jefferson County. Contact Barclay at barclaw@assembly.state.ny.us or (315) 598-5185.

During a recent press conference, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that he is enlisting the help of Bill and Melinda Gates in an effort to “reimagine” the state’s education system. The governor seems to be considering some radical proposals. He dismissively referred to the idea of students sitting in a classroom and learning from a teacher standing in the front of the class as the “old model.”

“Why? With all the technology you have?” he asked.

For many teachers, administrators, parents, and students, this would amount to a historic bait and switch. Closing schools was one of the many emergency orders the governor sold to the public as a temporary sacrifice to mitigate an unprecedented crisis. And while teachers and administrators should be commended for their efforts to implement distance learning on the fly, education advocates have been quick to point out its limitations in the wake of the governor’s comments. 

“Since the schools were shut down in mid-March, our understanding of the profound deficiencies of screen-based instruction has only grown. The use of education tech has its place, but only as an ancillary to in-person learning, not as its replacement.” That is what the NYS Allies for Public Education, Class Size Matters, and the Parents Coalition for Student Privacy said in a letter to the governor. New York State United Teachers were even more direct in saying, “Remote learning, in any form, will never replace the important personal connection between teachers and their students.”

The approach isn’t just flawed. It’s also inaccessible for far too many children. Too many families in rural areas cannot access a reliable internet connection. Far too many families in poverty across the state simply do not have the technology to provide their children with an effective workspace for digital learning. 

As government officials, we need to do what is best for our children. Children belong in school. It’s where they form lasting bonds and friendships and it’s where they learn how to work together. They learn trade skills and life skills at school. They join sports teams, theatrical productions, and volunteer groups there. School is where our students with special needs receive the services they deserve. Instead of leaning on a celebrity who has championed his share of failed education initiatives, the governor should be working with our teachers, administrators, and parents to meet the needs of every child in this state.

We aren’t going to move our education system forward by permanently emptying our classrooms.      

Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C–Canandaigua) represents the 131st Assembly District, which encompasses all of Ontario County and parts of Seneca County. Contact him at kolbb@nyassembly.gov