An empty classroom at Stevens Middle School on Aug. 18, 2020 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Salem-area residents are split on whether it’s a good idea for students to return to classrooms this fall, according to a Salem Reporter survey, but most reported concerns about the academic and emotional well-being of their children as online classes begin.
The survey received 163 responses from Salem Reporter readers in English and five in Spanish. It is not a scientific poll but offers a window into some of the concerns parents and caregivers face as many try to balance work with helping their children’s schooling.
Salem Reporter surveyed families two weeks ago, so responses were submitted before wildfires upended the lives of many area families.
In comments, many expressed confusion or anger at contradictory guidelines which allow children to gather in small groups for daycare or summer camps, but generally not for school. Some parents reported they were pulling their children from local schools, while others urged the community to be patient with teachers and trust online instruction would be better in the fall with more time to plan and prepare.
Some wrote about the impact of school closures on their careers or incomes, with over half of those responding saying they would need to reduce hours at work, rely on others for child care or may quit or lose their jobs to help their kids learn at home.
Just over half said it was “not very safe” to return to in-person schooling, while 44% said it was “safe” or “very safe.” Asked what type of school they supported for the fall, 38% said all distance learning, 35% said a full return to the classroom, and 24% said a mix of the two.
A strong majority, 71% of respondents, said they would support a mandate to wear masks if students returned to class in person.
That decision is for now outside the control of Salem-Keizer School District leaders. Gov. Kate Brown has issued health metrics that counties must meet before schools can put students back in classrooms. The Salem school system enrolls about 41,000 students.
While the number of new Covid cases reported in Marion County has fallen in recent weeks, the county is still reporting double the number weekly that would allow kindergarten through third grade students to return to the classroom, and six times the number needed for all students to return.
The county percentage of tests for the positive coming in positive, a rough indicator of how widespread the virus is in the community, has hovered between 8% and 11% since early July. It must be no higher than 5% for three weeks in a row to resume in-person classes.
Regardless of their feelings about returning to school in-person, a majority of those who responded said their students fell behind in school in the spring, and 76% rated the schooling their children received as “not so good” or “poor.” Those figures echo findings from a much larger Salem-Keizer district survey in June, which found most students didn’t find coursework academically challenging and many struggled to stay engaged in school while juggling other responsibilities.
District leaders have said repeatedly over the summer that fall instruction will look different, with attendance taken, schoolwork required and more live instruction from teachers. The district created a webpage, called “Home Coach,” with videos, tips and other resources to help parents help their students at home.
Here’s a sampling of the comments from the Salem Reporter survey, with minor edits for spelling and grammar. Respondents didn’t have to identify themselves to comment.
On social and mental health impacts
The lack of social interaction is especially painful for an only child.
Distance learning is not working for my children, and their mental health is suffering since the schools let out in March. At this point I believe the cure is far worse than the disease.
My children’s well-being has been directly affected. They are showing signs of depression and are losing their social skills rapidly.
On instruction
Incredibly disappointed that there haven’t been more creative learning opportunities considered. The education gap will grow exponentially and children’s mental health will deteriorate. The teachers’ union should have done more for the kids. We have the means so our child will be attending in person classes out of state.
Not an ideal situation. Schools, teachers, families and communities, doing best we/they can. Let’s support each other!
Teachers must keep up with latest professional development in the area of online learning. I know it isn’t easy but failing to that hurts the students. Remember Oregon educators continue to be fully employed with their full health and PERS benefits so please understand that even though the times are hard, consider how hard it is for the single parents and those who aren’t employed at all!
We are cautiously optimistic that the work that SKPS put in over the summer will make distance learning more effective this year.
Be kind to teachers. They didn’t choose this
The problem in the spring wasn’t so much that the quality was terrible but that there was no way for the teachers to require students to stay engaged when there were no grades. For the fall, I wish/hope they could do some diagnostic testing in math. That is where I fear there will be the biggest skill loss
I’m concerned that my child who has an IEP will become further behind & the stress of trying to teach him at home will affect my work responsibilities. It is very difficult trying to teach a child with special needs on a system you’re not familiar with.
My child won’t be returning to public school. I was shocked how little she had learned when the school closed. I’ve been able to teach her way more than she would have been learning.
I think teachers did the best they could in the spring and I am CONFIDENT online classes both in the public school setting and EDGE will be drastically different, more engaging, rigor and be generally a good fit for my child.
On returning to school
I think the state’s requirement of coronavirus cases to open schools is extremely unrealistic. We are doing well in Oregon, and I support masks, social distancing, and safety measures. But refusing to let kids attend school until cases are so low is just not realistic and is putting a heavy burden on me and other working families. I think they should go back to the hybrid plan they had in July.
SKPS teachers, staff, and admins are working so hard right now for the students. ODE on the other hand has been terrible, and Director Colt Gill should be fired.
My sons have been attending daycare and summer camps, and school-age childcare is available, so it is hard to understand why kids can’t be in class. I think they should go but everyone should wear masks.
My biggest concern about kids returning to the classroom is the protocols (masks, distancing, etc.) that would be in place. The things that made school enjoyable for my kids would be absent in the current classroom environment. This is a bigger concern for me than the possibility that they could contract COVID.
Spring was tough but I am hoping that the return to school will be better
The community needs to continue to face reality about the pandemic. Parents, students, and teachers are never going to be able to achieve normal standards because we are not living in a normal circumstance. We are still in the midst of a national emergency, and if Oregon forgets that many people will die.
On impacts to families
Online only school will be devastating for low income kids with working parents. They will fall behind compared to wealthier students leading to greater inequity in Oregon schools. The risk of COVID for kids and teachers has been greatly over-exaggerated. We should have in-person classes while finding ways to protect any vulnerable students or teachers. Our current plan is failing Oregon students.
I’m concerned about how to adequately support my kids’ education (K,3,11) while working full time from home (and at times in building). I can’t afford the additional $1,200 a month that full time care would cost. Before and after school would be around $400 for 2 kids. Now, in their same elementary school it would be $800 per kid- $1,600 total. School is not daycare- but I need school to be able to afford to work.
The school district could provide financial resources to families so that they do not have to go to work and can stay home to help their children. (Translated from Spanish)
It’s a very difficult time, but the most important thing is our kids’ safety. (Translated from Spanish)
It sucks for everyone, we just have to get through this safely.
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.
