@3Kids4e Dr. Mike Robinson: How can schools practice social distancing when kids return?
Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW: First, I think we need to challenge the terminology. I think what we're looking for is physical distancing, not social distancing. There are myriad ways for us to continue to be social, but it's the physicality that causes concern. I think this framing is important, particularly in Education, because we should be STRONGLY ENCOURAGING teachers to be as socially connected with students as possible, we just need to maintain a safe distance.
As far as our return to school is concerned, I am not a proponent of returning until testing is made widely available to all persons who enter a school building. And not one-time testing, but regular testing. There's so much that we do not know about this virus that it's just not safe to bring people together until we have the greatest assurance possible that everyone is not well. That being the case, I am also not a supporter of any of the proposed distancing measures. These measures go against the laws of human nature, human development and schooling as a whole. The human spirit, particularly those of young people, want to embrace and connect when they are in shared spaces. How awkward it was to visit my aunt and have to wave from a distance and not get the normal hug and back rub. It is impossible to keep children (and many adults) from touching each other, sharing utensils, touching the same surfaces. etc. Teachers have a hard enough time getting students to keep their glasses on all day, let along trying to make them wear a mask. It is also impossible to expect teachers and maintenance staff to continually clean and disinfect every surface or item that is touched. It's just not reasonable. What is reasonable to me is that we re-open school buildings when it is safe to do so.
From an equity standpoint, we know that disciplinary actions are already disproportionately inflicted in Black students. If these impossible measures are not adhered to, what we know from history is that Black students will be the ones who will suffer most from disciplinary actions taken to get them to comply with activities that were unreasonable in the first place.
Dr. Mike Robinson: Is Schooling with social distancing even possible?
Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW: I think I address this in the first question. Physical distancing is not possible, particularly with younger students, but also with older ones as well. I think this expectation is doing nothing but setting us all up for failure.
Dr. Mike Robinson: To what extent do you believe staggered start times; alternate weeks of attendance; and remote learning until further notice be an effective social distancing strategy?
Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW: Again, these approaches make sense ONLY when there is adequate testing to make certain that everyone is "safe." No approach should be taken that would supersede adequate testing. For those students, staff, etc who are well, I think it makes sense to have a staggered approach to re-opening. This allows individual schools, and school systems to be able to micro-assess how things are going and make changes as the data suggests. I do believe that remote learning should continue to be implemented as necessary until face to face options are deemed safe, so it should be considered the norm and as things get better we slowly and systematically move back into F2F.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What are your thoughts about teachers wearing masks and other PPE in the classroom?
Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW: I think individuals should be allowed to take these measures if it is their choice and if it makes them feel safe, but again, if we're doing adequate testing, hopefully this will lesson the instances of teachers feeling they need to take these additional measures to feel safe in the building. Masks and other PPE cannot be a substitute for testing. Testing first! I cannot stress this enough.
Dr. Mike Robinson: This question comes from a parent. "When schools are open, what signs would be visible that would suggest social distancing is working?
Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW: As a parent, I have no intentions on sending my children to school until I feel it is safe. This means regular communication from a school administrator detailing not only safety measures (including testing, of course), but also details of numbers of cases of infections in my child's school. I would also need to see a well thought out plan of a phased in approach to reopening. I know this does not answer the questions specifically, but looking at it through the approach that I've described, physical distancing is only one piece of the overall strategy and not the end all be all. It can't be.
Bio
Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW, was educated in the Baltimore City Public School System and graduated from the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, a college-preparatory high school, majoring in Engineering. Dr. Green holds a bachelors' degree in Clinical Social Work (BSW) from Morgan State University, a Masters’ degree in Management/Administration (MSW) from Howard University, and a Doctorate in Urban Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) also from Morgan State University. Dr. Green’s research interests are culturally relevant teaching and the self-efficacy of opportunity students.
Click here to download Dr. Green's complete bio
Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW: First, I think we need to challenge the terminology. I think what we're looking for is physical distancing, not social distancing. There are myriad ways for us to continue to be social, but it's the physicality that causes concern. I think this framing is important, particularly in Education, because we should be STRONGLY ENCOURAGING teachers to be as socially connected with students as possible, we just need to maintain a safe distance.
As far as our return to school is concerned, I am not a proponent of returning until testing is made widely available to all persons who enter a school building. And not one-time testing, but regular testing. There's so much that we do not know about this virus that it's just not safe to bring people together until we have the greatest assurance possible that everyone is not well. That being the case, I am also not a supporter of any of the proposed distancing measures. These measures go against the laws of human nature, human development and schooling as a whole. The human spirit, particularly those of young people, want to embrace and connect when they are in shared spaces. How awkward it was to visit my aunt and have to wave from a distance and not get the normal hug and back rub. It is impossible to keep children (and many adults) from touching each other, sharing utensils, touching the same surfaces. etc. Teachers have a hard enough time getting students to keep their glasses on all day, let along trying to make them wear a mask. It is also impossible to expect teachers and maintenance staff to continually clean and disinfect every surface or item that is touched. It's just not reasonable. What is reasonable to me is that we re-open school buildings when it is safe to do so.
From an equity standpoint, we know that disciplinary actions are already disproportionately inflicted in Black students. If these impossible measures are not adhered to, what we know from history is that Black students will be the ones who will suffer most from disciplinary actions taken to get them to comply with activities that were unreasonable in the first place.
Dr. Mike Robinson: Is Schooling with social distancing even possible?
Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW: I think I address this in the first question. Physical distancing is not possible, particularly with younger students, but also with older ones as well. I think this expectation is doing nothing but setting us all up for failure.
Dr. Mike Robinson: To what extent do you believe staggered start times; alternate weeks of attendance; and remote learning until further notice be an effective social distancing strategy?
Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW: Again, these approaches make sense ONLY when there is adequate testing to make certain that everyone is "safe." No approach should be taken that would supersede adequate testing. For those students, staff, etc who are well, I think it makes sense to have a staggered approach to re-opening. This allows individual schools, and school systems to be able to micro-assess how things are going and make changes as the data suggests. I do believe that remote learning should continue to be implemented as necessary until face to face options are deemed safe, so it should be considered the norm and as things get better we slowly and systematically move back into F2F.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What are your thoughts about teachers wearing masks and other PPE in the classroom?
Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW: I think individuals should be allowed to take these measures if it is their choice and if it makes them feel safe, but again, if we're doing adequate testing, hopefully this will lesson the instances of teachers feeling they need to take these additional measures to feel safe in the building. Masks and other PPE cannot be a substitute for testing. Testing first! I cannot stress this enough.
Dr. Mike Robinson: This question comes from a parent. "When schools are open, what signs would be visible that would suggest social distancing is working?
Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW: As a parent, I have no intentions on sending my children to school until I feel it is safe. This means regular communication from a school administrator detailing not only safety measures (including testing, of course), but also details of numbers of cases of infections in my child's school. I would also need to see a well thought out plan of a phased in approach to reopening. I know this does not answer the questions specifically, but looking at it through the approach that I've described, physical distancing is only one piece of the overall strategy and not the end all be all. It can't be.
Bio
Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW, was educated in the Baltimore City Public School System and graduated from the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, a college-preparatory high school, majoring in Engineering. Dr. Green holds a bachelors' degree in Clinical Social Work (BSW) from Morgan State University, a Masters’ degree in Management/Administration (MSW) from Howard University, and a Doctorate in Urban Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) also from Morgan State University. Dr. Green’s research interests are culturally relevant teaching and the self-efficacy of opportunity students.
Click here to download Dr. Green's complete bio
| egreenjr_bio.pdf |