I’ve written before about the undercurrent of misogyny I perceive in the public debate about in-person K-12 schooling in the US...1/
https://twitter.com/whitneyepi/status/1314966208538726403
I’ve stopped much writing about
#SARSCoV2 & K-12: I think weight of evidence is strong that K-12 (esp for younger ages) can be operated w very low levels of in-school
#SARSCoV2 transmission when precautions in place (new variants may change this)
https://dontforgetthebubbles.com/evidence-summary-paediatric-covid-19-literature/ ...2/
...and I’ve stopped writing about it because the debate seems polarized and hardened (although there’s a LOT of policy movement rn nationally...we’ll see how that all plays out). I just don’t have much to add that I think will change anyone’s mind 3/
The most compelling K-12 debates I see now are not about epidemiology (my expertise) but issues like infrastructure, student equity, workers’ rights, adequate staffing, in-person public education as a social good, political trust, accommodations, out-of-school behaviors...4/
But there’s one big issue that is glaringly missing from consideration: the well-being of women and the value of our time and ambitions... 5/
I see this disregard for women’s well-being as a common thread binding the political left and right 6/
On the left, it’s exemplified by a mocking attitude towards middle-class & higher income women like me who *could* have my kids at home without risking extreme economic hardship (“Just admit you don’t want to take care of yr kids”)...7/
On the right, it’s exemplified by a vilification of and disrespect for the overwhelmingly female K-12 workforce (I won’t even quote nasty things said about teachers. It’s too gross) 8/
I was talking to a neighbor this wkend who’s a former teacher. Our own district was in a raging debate about a proposal to move from fully remote to hybrid in-person teaching for younger kids starting in April ‘21... 9/
I complained to my neighbor that I know I’m not getting a good sense of teacher concerns (it’s hard for teachers, esp in a state like mine that’s *very* hostile to unions, to speak openly and candidly about their priorities). I asked my neighbor what she’s hearing...10/
She said there’s some concern re:
#SARSCoV2 infection but also a big concern about the huge disruption and potential cluster%*#^ of the logistical shift of re-opening so late in the school year...11/
Personally and professionally, it’s a huge disruption at a time when teachers are already stretched thin. They not only have to adapt their curriculum & teaching *again* but many will scramble to find their own childcare (alread in high-demand and $$$ before the pandemic) 12/
I found this perspective pretty compelling, but I get why it’s not at the center of discussion. It’s easier to focus on the well-being of kids and life-and-death risks for teachers & their families bc these feel like concerns that the public will take seriously...13/
On the hand, saying, “yes, I want in-person schooling bc I don’t want my child with me all the time for 1-2 years. I want to be able to focus on my job and career, or I just want some time alone” is framed as being selfish and careless...14/
Similarly a K-12 teacher saying, “I don’t want to go back into the physical classroom now because it’s going to be a hardship to my own family and professionally disruptive to my teaching and also potentially a chaotic cluster!” — also not greeted w much sympathy... 15/
This disregard for women’s well-being isn’t just a
#COVID19 or K-12 issue. I study gynecologic issues like fibroids, endometriosis, pelvic pain, AUB...16/
These conditions won’t kill you outright, but, when they are bad, they can make you miserable: limit your ability to work, dramatically limit your social life & sex life, & all the impairments that come w chronic pain, pressure, uncontrollable bleeding...
https://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2020/10/27/jech-2019-213149
As I’ve noted before, this area is vastly underfunded relative to its prevalence and population impacts. I think that’s bc of a devaluing of the well-being and ambitions of women as its own end 18/
https://twitter.com/whitneyepi/status/1185630740228247557
A recent
@nytimes article described the experience of many mothers in the US right now as “betrayal.” That strongly resonates with me 19/
https://twitter.com/poojalakshmin/status/1357719294147235842
There are layers & layers of betrayal in the US
#COVID19 response...stacked on the pile is assumption that women will keep holding society together amidst all this loss & grief wo a commitment in return to honor our well-being & find solutions for our biggest challenges 20/20
*continued from tweet 2/20: a few other epidemiologists I respect disagree with my interpretation of the data.
#causalinference is complex, & reasonable people can have different thresholds of & interpretations of evidence
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