If the threat of the Chinese Wuhan Virus is to be taken seriously enough that government schools had to be closed for the rest of the year it might be time to re-think public education operating out of huge child and administrator warehouses.
How, if there is no way to ensure that not a single person (that is the government standard for everything) is going to be infected by this or the next weaponized virus from China, are we going to address public education in New Hampshire this fall?
There is a way to kick start a conversation about planning for the inevitability of social distancing children from the busses, buildings, employees, and contact sports associated with giant public schools.
How about this.
If ever there was a time for emergency meetings (RSA 197:3 Raising Money at Special Meeting) to address the school budgets we just passed in March – where everyone sat next to another person for hours on end without dying from the Chinese virus, now might be the time.
Oh, and mandatory Senate Bill #2 for social distancing might be in order for government schools as well, just like government schools were mandated to have standardized budgets back in the 90’s.
If you want to see how fast New Hampshire can get back to “normal” simply start demanding government schools find a new “normal” that takes into account what small businesses have had to endure.
If for a nano-second the money-puzzle-pit of public education is asked to find ways to survive without the “heads they win-tails you lose” bottom line budgets we dutifully accept every year – things will get back to normal.
Or taxpayers will have an opportunity to make lemonade of lemons – and taxpayers will have a say in spending for once.
Ask your local government school administrator to look into fixing the unfixable at the government school warehouse to address the next wave of Chinese virus we hear about.
Then look for the blank stare.
