‘Morning Joe’ on School Closures: This Becomes an Issue of Equity

EXCERPT:

DeFRANCESCO SOTO: “I don’t have to work two jobs to put food on my table. I don’t have to work the overnight shifts. So when we’re looking at the communities that have been most affected, our communities of color, our lower-SES communities, both in terms of the parents and the children, this becomes an issue of equity. So, yes, there’s the health portion, but then regrettably, this isn’t a standalone issue and we have to figure out how we’re going to allow these kids to not just survive, but thrive. Because this is an issue that lags. All right? So if you fall behind one year, it’s not just, 'We lost this year.' That can hold you back, in effect, your education through the rest of your life. So this is such an important issue, one I feel really strongly about, that we really need to weigh the consequences. Yes, there’s no perfect decision in this life. But in terms of getting our kids back to school, this is really imperative."