The Battle Over Opening Schools

A battle is raging over the opening of schools this fall. Some believe we absolutely must not open, dramatically claiming children will die from contracting COVID. Others insist we absolutely must open, claiming the effects of staying home will be more harmful than the virus itself.

The battle is very political. People from the Federal government are demanding schools open or lose Federal dollars. The teachers’ unions are demanding single-payer healthcare, universal basic income, defunding police and shuttering charter schools before they go back. Our children should not be held hostage for political gain.

USPIE believes parents are in the best position to decide how their children should be educated, not just this fall but all the time. We are in a time of great opportunity.

The mission of USPIE is to eliminate all Federal education mandates and return control to parents and local communities. Local communities can assess their risk for COVID infections or any other health related issue, then develop a plan to open in-person classrooms, remote learning or a hybrid of both choices. Parents should have the freedom to choose the model they prefer.

However, public schools have had a dismal track record in teaching kids to read, write and do arithmetic. They have introduced child-corrupting ideas like socialism, gender-option ideology, and distain for America, just to name a few. Additionally, the public-school officials seem unwilling to creatively address the current issues, demanding more and more money be thrown at this already bloated system. The restrictions for in-person learning will be difficult for children, like wearing masks and social distancing. The reports from many students and parents across the country about remote learning have not been positive.

The most promising solution is found in the increasing trend to home school, which can be accomplished in many ways. Parents can opt to teach their own children, partner with relatives and friends to create a co-op style or pool their resources to hire a teacher. These strategies enable parents to ensure their children are learning to read, write and do arithmetic and are not being influenced by people who do not share their values, while minimizing cost and optimizing use of time.

USPIE sincerely hopes parents, who choose to send their children to public school, work closely with their local schools and government to establish an approach right for them and their community. Don’t look for direction from the Federal government! Don’t let unrelated political demands confuse the issue.

The current times are a great opportunity to remind our elected officials, bureaucrats and media, that parents are the undisputed primary educator of their children.