Teachers and public schools might be blamed when children have trouble learning. But many variables affect how children do in school, and most are out of a teacher’s control.
Support public education and teachers to help families and children make schooling a worthwhile experience. Schools should be an anchor in the community for children and families.
Children do not attend school in a vacuum. They face many problems that can affect learning.
1. Abuse
Approximately 1 in 7 children have experienced abuse or neglect this past year, with neglect, the most common form of child abuse, followed by physical abuse, sexual abuse, and psychological abuse. Here are the 11 facts about child abuse and valuable information.
2. Cancer
Cancer is the number one cause of death in children across all ages and ethnic groups and continues to be vastly and consistently underfunded.
Every year parents of about 15,700 kids will hear that their child has cancer.
3. Disabilities
Children with disabilities need assistance with school, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) should protect them.
For example, a school district in Indiana is not providing two students with the nurse they require to attend school. IDEA makes it clear that children with disabilities that call for nursing care in school get nursing assistance. How many school districts shortchange parents? School districts must not cut IDEA services.
4. Divorce
Divorce is a fact of life, and some children do better after a divorce takes place. But other children struggle to adjust and may slip in school. Fifty percent of America’s children will experience divorce.
5. Failure
Due to high-stakes standardized tests, parents might believe they must push children to learn advanced material. Public schools must quit promoting inappropriate standards.
It’s also time to end third-grade retention. There’s no reason to humiliate children, no proof that this is an acceptable practice that improves learning.
6. Gun Violence
Until America gets better gun laws, schools need to find ways to better learn about students and support them. Schools can also be places for children to learn gun safety laws.
Lowering class sizes and creating better ways for students to get to know each other and work out their problems in school are ways to achieve better communication making schools safer.
7. Healthcare
According to the Children’s Defense Fund, in 2018, 1 in 18 children under age 19 were uninsured—nearly 4.3 million. School-aged children (ages 6-17) represented more than 3 million of the nearly 4.3 million uninsured children.
Children need good medical and dental health care. They cannot effectively learn without it.
8. Homelessness
More than 1.5 million children enrolled in public schools experienced homelessness during the 2017-2018 school year.
This information is from before the pandemic. It isn’t clear how many children currently experience or experienced homelessness during the pandemic.
Here’s more information about homelessness.
Also, remember that even though a child isn’t homeless, they might have reasons to fear becoming homeless.
9. Hunger
President Biden’s Build Back Better plan includes expanding free school meals to an additional 9.3 million children during the school year and helping families purchase food during the summer.
Children cannot learn if they’re hungry.
10. LGBTQ
A student’s school is where they socialize and learn about the world and society. Schools must be welcoming places for all, especially marginalized students. Policies and practices must affirm and support all students and protect them. School districts and schools must continue to address bullying, exclusion, and discrimination in school.
11. Loneliness
Many children don’t feel like they belong. Smaller class sizes would help teachers and other students get to know each other and help children who feel disengaged feel better about their strengths and weaknesses.
12. Loss
Loss of a parent or grandparent, of loved ones, due to Covid or other disease affects more children, especially in high poverty areas.
13. Mental Health
Students need good mental health care and support from professionals. Schools must provide special education options to assist children and families when such difficulties arise in school.
14. Racism
Children who experience racism must find support and care in their schools.
From the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry:
When people are affected by racism, they feel like they do not belong and are not safe or protected in their community. This stress, on top of the usual stressors of day-to-day life, is referred to as ‘minority stress’. People can start to believe the messages they receive from the world that they are ‘lesser than’. This can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.
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We must consider all the difficulties children face and work together as a nation by supporting public schools and the teachers and staff who work there.
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