School shutdowns have been devastating for students | Tim Talk | Tim Hunt | DanvilleSanRamon.com |

Local Blogs

Tim Talk

By Tim Hunt

E-mail Tim Hunt

About this blog: I am a native of Alameda County, grew up in Pleasanton and currently live in the house I grew up in that is more than 100 years old. I spent 39 years in the daily newspaper business and wrote a column for more than 25 years in add...  (More)

View all posts from Tim Hunt

School shutdowns have been devastating for students

Uploaded: Mar 16, 2021
Reports are piling up that demonstrate the huge toll school lockdowns are having on students.
A report from the non-profit group FAIR Health analyzed pediatric mental health using its database of more than 32 million private health care claims and compared monthly changes from January to November 2020 compared to the same months in 2019.
The findings are staggering.
Claims for intentional self-harm were up 91% in March 2020 in teen-agers from 13-18. It nearly doubled in April 2020, the first full month of lockdown.
Other mental health claims in three categories also were up more than 90% year-over-year.
Northeast claims for self-harm claims were up 333.9% year-over-year in April. That was the highest total by far of any region or age-group studied by the group. Other mental health claims in three categories also were up more than 90% year-over-year.
Nationally, the trends were awful. Claims for overdoes rose 95% in March and 119% in April, while substance abuse disorders also increased as a percentage of all medical claims in those months (65% in March and 63% in April.)
And that doesn’t take in account the other damage such as educational achievement that correlates directly to lifetime earnings and lifespan. Both will suffer, particularly for Black and Brown students and/or students in low-income homes.
Given these devasting effects, it will be good to see all Pleasanton students back in school this week if their parents choose. Dublin and Livermore have set dates this month while San Ramon Valley already has been back kindergarten through sixth with middle and high school to follow now that Contra Costa is in the red tier. It’s also great that San Ramon Valley trustees have directed the district staff to prepare for full in-person schooling in the fall.
With the recall deadline for signatures looming tomorrow and parents very frustrated by the intransience of the big-city teachers’ unions to return to the classroom, pressure has been building on Gov. Gavin Newsom to get kids back into the classroom. Of course, he could order them out, but he does not have the power to force them to return. That decision is left to local school trustees and the teachers union with the permission of the county health officials. If you have followed the Bay Area counties closely, you will have noticed how Santa Clara has been the most aggressive with shutdowns, while other counties have been more relaxed.
It will not help Newsom when recall proponents hammer away that his children have been back in their private school since fall, while students in San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles and San Diego have yet to return to classrooms. You can expect that theme as well as many replays of his fancy dinner out at the French Laundry, one of the area’s most expensive restaurants—indoors with 12 people with no masks in sight.
Democracy.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by Michael Austin , a resident of Pleasanton Meadows,
on Mar 16, 2021 at 10:49 am

Michael Austin is a registered user.

Also, Newsom should be hammered for the fraud that occurred with the unemployment monies intended for honest hard working people that were laid off, which they did not receive, and went into convicted convicts and criminals hands.


Posted by Lahommed, a resident of Dublin,
on Mar 16, 2021 at 11:05 am

Lahommed is a registered user.

This is what happens when you vote democrat reps into office....they cannot handle the heat. Bay area get smart for once vote in republicans and conservatives not radical wasteful democrats. If you don't nothing will change except how bad things go get down the line!


Posted by Jennifer, a resident of Danville,
on Mar 17, 2021 at 8:55 am

Jennifer is a registered user.

It's real cut and dry. All kids need to be in school, and Newsom needs to be recalled.


Posted by Dave, a resident of Highland Oaks,
on Mar 17, 2021 at 9:37 am

Dave is a registered user.

Tim, Why can the Governor order teachers out of the classroom but does not have the power to order them to return?


Follow this blogger.
Sign up to be notified of new posts by this blogger.

Email:

SUBMIT

Post a comment

Sorry, but further commenting on this topic has been closed.

Stay informed.

Get the day's top headlines from DanvilleSanRamon.com sent to your inbox in the Express newsletter.

How quickly will we electrify our homes?
By Sherry Listgarten | 5 comments | 1,337 views

How muddled are the Pleasanton council's priorities
By Tim Hunt | 5 comments | 1,164 views

Expanding access to Yosemite's wonders
By Monith Ilavarasan | 5 comments | 974 views

The New Ekphrasis: Exhibition 2023
By John A. Barry and Bill Carmel | 0 comments | 305 views

 

2023 guide to summer camps

Looking for something for the kids to do this summer, learn something new and have fun? The Summer Camp Guide features local camps for all ages and interests.

Find Camps Here