Opinion |

As new year begins, old troubles plague our schools

While media attention has been focused on Washington, D.C., and the early moves of House Republicans (following Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s messy election to become speaker), I’ve been reflecting a lot on an issue that’s closer to home.

It’s the trauma that’s overtaken our schools and school systems — at every level. The pandemic exacerbated old vulnerabilities, unleashing anger and frustration that have taken the focus away from learning.

The return to school, post-winter break, must have been even harder this year.

For decades, public schools have been challenged to keep up with the needs of their students. Hard-working educators “get by,” despite too few resources and too little planning time — not to mention pandemic disruptions, safety concerns and intense public scrutiny. It’s impacted both the number of individuals entering the teaching profession (down significantly from a decade ago) and the number who have quit.

A 2022 report by the National Education Association draws a straight line from this reality to funding and policy decisions that have resulted in low teacher pay (when compared with other professions that have comparable education and training requirements) and a lack of professional respect. The report said that funding shortfalls have caused “an unprecedented school staffing crisis across nearly every job category.”

Failing to address these shortages has led to negative effects on students, who returned to classrooms last fall still suffering from the impacts of the pandemic and remote learning. Test results have shown a sharp decline in reading and math scores among elementary school students, especially the lower performers. There were also significant setbacks in social-emotional learning — foundational to coping with everyday challenges.

The situation in schools has been made worse by deepening polarization that mirrors societal discord. And while I’m reluctant to blame parents, a small group of them is driving a big wedge in school districts here and around the country.

In a recent posting on EdSource, former San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Carl Cohn wrote about a meeting of the Temecula Valley Unified School District Board that he attended last month. The new five-person board was sworn in that evening; three were elected thanks to the efforts of evangelical pastor Tim Thompson and his Inland Empire Family PAC.

Thompson has described the Temecula public schools as “the devil’s playground.”

Cohn said there was vigorous cheering and booing during the public comment portion of the agenda, evidence of a divided community. The main agenda items were two resolutions proposed by the new board president. One condemned racism in the district; the other would ban the teaching of critical race theory, which examines the role of institutions in racism throughout history.

While several students argued for teaching the “full, unvarnished history of race in America,” both resolutions passed on 3-2 votes, with the new majority prevailing.

Cohn observed that the idea of putting the “right kind of adults in charge” is troubling and underestimates the power of positive teacher/student relationships. The morning following the votes, hundreds of high school students walked out of class in protest.

With our school systems on the brink, what is the path forward?

At the National Conflict Resolution Center, our Restorative Practices team is working with school administrators in districts across San Diego County to reimagine their school culture — and to make it welcoming for all students, educators, staff and families. They know their communities are still hurting in the aftermath of the pandemic.

And so, we are introducing tools and techniques to build strong, positive relationships that are based in trust. We accomplish this, in part, by engaging all members of the school community in conversation. As connections are forged, a sense of belonging and shared responsibility grows, enabling all to thrive. Students take ownership of their actions.

But conversation doesn’t just happen, especially for someone experiencing trauma. The process of healing begins by giving a person space, rather than assuming we know why they are feeling or acting a certain way — or jumping to problem solve, as we are apt to do.

As it turns out, venting is a tried-and-true mediation technique. It allows a person to release their anger and move on to next steps. But it only works when those on the receiving end listen and demonstrate understanding — and don’t try to diminish or shame others for what they are feeling. That can be tough to do.

While our work in schools is just starting, our restorative team stands ready to assist Congress with relationship building. But first, they must promise to listen.

Dinkin is president of the National Conflict Resolution Center, a San Diego-based group working to create solutions to challenging issues, including intolerance and incivility. To learn about NCRC’s programming, visit ncrconline.com