MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A new school year like none in history is underway in Shelby County Schools. The nearly 100,000 students in the state’s largest district are in virtual classes from home and other places – thanks to the highly contagious coronavirus pandemic.
Almost all students have been equipped with digital devices necessary for attending classes online. Some also have received hotspots that allow them to connect to the internet. It is a massive undertaking that requires organization, patience, and a great deal of leadership.
Certainly, problems will develop along the way. But if there were ever a time for strong parental involvement in local education, that time is now. Teachers, counselors, staff, and administrators at every SCS school can only do so much in a remote environment. It will be up to parents, grandparents, guardians, and countless others to keep students focused on learning.
Several schools in the district were already challenged by a lack of parental involvement long before COVID-19 became a deadly menace. And those schools have suffered from poor academic achievement. I see the school leadership stepping up. But this is no time for the adults at home to shirk their responsibilities.
If virtual learning is going to work, parents and others must be engaged in the learning process. Granted, for some, that will be difficult. Which is why more than ever, it will take a village to teach a child. And that’s my point of view.