Millions of kids are missing weeks of school as attendance tanks across the US

[Diamond_Dog]

This story just breaks my heart.

******

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – When in-person school resumed after pandemic closures, Rousmery Negrón and her 11-year-old son both noticed a change: School seemed less welcoming.

Parents were no longer allowed in the building without appointments, she said, and punishments were more severe. Everyone seemed less tolerant, more angry. Negrón's son told her he overheard a teacher mocking his learning disabilities, calling him an ugly name

Her son didn’t want to go to school anymore. And she didn’t feel he was safe there.

He would end up missing more than five months of sixth grade.


(snip)

Across the country, students have been absent at record rates since schools reopened during the pandemic. More than a quarter of students missed at least 10% of the 2021-22 school year, making them chronically absent, according to the most recent data available. Before the pandemic, only 15% of students missed that much school.

(snip)

Kids are staying home for myriad reasons — finances, housing instability, illness, transportation issues, school staffing shortages, anxiety, depression, bullying and generally feeling unwelcome at school.

(snip)

For people who've long studied chronic absenteeism, the post-COVID era feels different. Some of the things that prevent students from getting to school are consistent — illness, economic distress — but “something has changed,” said Todd Langager, who helps San Diego County schools address absenteeism. He sees students who already felt unseen, or without a caring adult at school, feel further disconnected.

(snip)

“Our families aren’t valuing education because it isn’t something that’s ever valued us,” Powell said.

More
https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/missing-students-chronic-absenteeism/index.html

[RKP5637]

1. So sad!!! n/t

[spooky3]

2. Funny how oppressing, overworking, and underpaying teachers

Can affect the classroom environment…

[Diamond_Dog]

3. Right wing extremists who run local governments

ban books, won’t do anything to make schools safe and secure (except put up barbed wire fencing or hand out guns to all the teachers), claim mental health funding isn’t needed, and won’t procure special needs teachers. This is what they call running the schools. Can you blame kids for not wanting to be there?

[DonCoquixote]

5. this is not a bug

this is done so that education is starved, and the Johnny and Jane Suburb still get the funding, while enjoying the myth of "those brown and black kids hate school, unlike my little boy."

[MichMan]

8. Republicans aren't generally in charge of minority districts

At least they aren't in my state.

Absences were more prevalent among Latino, Black and low-income students, according to Dee’s analysis.

[stopdiggin]

4. some of this (perhaps an appreciable amount?)

is also parents deciding that school is not a great (or acceptable) place for their child to be. These types of decisions have become much more commonplace - and not all of that is in response to what is going on in the schools - so much as it is what's going on in parents heads.

(I don't argue for or against such decision - just that is happening with much greater frequency)

[ThoughtCriminal]

6. For years, the GOP controlled legislatures

have treated teachers like they were Satan's favorite agents. Many parents are even worse and both are telling the children that teachers are not worthy of their respect and attention.

I worked in a school district for 10 years and saw many of the best teachers decide to leave the profession. Disrespect from the kids, the parents, the school boards and the state government were just too much no matter how much they loved the job.

[kimbutgar]

7. My husband has a nephew who's sons are now being homeschooled

His Mother told me that he had a hard time in public school and she’s now homeschooling him. She was also homeschooled before high school where she met her future husband who did 12 years public school. I told her that schools also help kids learn social skills but she said he can get them playing with the kids in the neighborhood. The mother is nice but she never went to college and I being a credentialed teacher told her some strategies for teach him which she probably won’t use. She has two other younger boys a 8 month old and another one who is 6 that has some personally issues that will come back to haunt her.

And the kids are being indoctrinated in right wing ideology because Dad is a proud republican because his Dad raised him that way. We don’t discuss politics around them out of family respect.

[Bayard]

9. Wonder how many parents just don't want their kids shot?

[MichMan]

10. Are they safer skipping school and running the streets ?

[Bayard]

11. You'd have to ask the parents and/or their kids.

I've read that fear of mass shootings is a major stressor for kids now.

[MichMan]

12. Of all the children killed or injured from gun violence, 98 % occurred away from schools.

More than 6000 children killed or injured by gunfire in 2022. Of those, there were 140 shot in school shootings (includes adults and children) 98% occurred away from schools.



https://abcnews.go.com/US/6000-children-killed-hurt-gunfire-2022-report/story?id=95833392

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/school-shootings-this-year-how-many-and-where/2022/01

[Bayard]

13. Its perception

Which gets all the 24 hour TV coverage?

[Igel]

14. So you're saying their "perceptions are wrong"?

It's true, but do it in the wrong setting and you're trashed.

Availability heuristic and all that.