The Importance of In Person Learning

 I’m writing as a concerned parent who would like to have her story read and understood. I would like to start by thanking Fairfax County Public Schools. I’m the mom of a 1st grade daughter on the autism spectrum. When she was 2 years old, she was evaluated by the county and also diagnosed on the spectrum by a developmental pediatrician at Children’s Hospital. Subsequentally, she was able to start special education preschool through the county at Dranesville Elementary. To say she benefitted from these early intervention services would be a huge understatement. These services allowed our daughter to grow, blossom and learn in a way that I previously thought would not be possible. 

My husband and I have both spent our whole lives in the area. He attended FCPS his entire school career and went on to graduate from Georgetown University. I attended both FCPS and LCPS and went on to graduate from George Mason University. As locals, we’ve always known we wanted to raise our children here, in part for the excellent school systems it offers. After my daughter’s early invention experience with FCPS, however, we knew we truly did not want our children to be educated anywhere else. 

He and I are both the cautious type, so we were both relieved when the schools were closed in March 2020. I actually kept my daughter home from school previously when there was a norovirus outbreak at Dranesville Elementary, even though the school remained open. When FCPS gave us the choice in summer 2020 between virtual or in person learning, we opted for virtual. Toward the end of summer we saw our 5 year old son was very unhappy at home, so we decided to enroll him in a small private preschool this 2020-2021 school year. Very fortunately, his school has not had any cases of covid.

I started out gung ho about being my daughter’s virtual school buddy. I’m a stay at home mom so I viewed it as this special bonding time we would have before she eventually returned to school. I set up our classroom, and we hit the ground running.

My daughter cried almost every single day of virtual school. Please note, this is not a reflection on her teacher. Her teacher was wonderful. I truly know this because I sat next to my daughter every minute of class. My child, however, isn’t designed to sit at a computer for that long. I tried all the tips and tricks I was offered. We walked outside or swung on her swing during breaks. I got her stress balls and had her chew gum to see if that would help her focus. I tried giving her space to learn on her own but she’d walk away from the computer. She begged me to let her go to school. She missed friends and having a “real” teacher. My heart broke for her, so after a month of trying to make virtual school work, I pulled her out to homeschool her. Again, I viewed this as a hiccup but something we would make the best of, and hopefully look back on fondly someday.

Homeschool has been superior to virtual school. I feel very fortunate to be in a position where I am able to homeschool my daughter. As time goes on, however, I noticed what once were mastered IEP goals, are beginning to see regression. Her ability to focus is no longer what it once was. You see, children on the spectrum benefit greatly from structure, routine and being around peers. These are things that aren’t easily recreated in a homeschool classroom. 

In Kindergarten, my daughter received all of the highest marks on her report card, with the exception of a couple categories that dealt with social/emotional behavior and focus. And while I am a big believer in the safety of teachers and students, I’ve started to let my mind wander to, “where would she be now had she been able to maintain the fabulous education she’d been receiving since age two?” People try to comfort by saying we are all in the same boat, but the truth is, that’s not exactly accurate. Some of us have children that simply can not learn sitting in front of a screen for hours. Like I’ve referenced, my family is fortunate to have me as a 24/7 resource for my daughter but not all families have this privilege. Some students who need support are unable to receive it at home.

I understand the closures. I empathize with teachers, and I desire to keep them safe. I also feel as though with vaccines and safety mitigation measures in place, we need to be considering a full open next fall. It’s not out of reach if the school board/superintendent/state officials stand up to the teacher unions, who don’t seem to represent the majority of teachers. They simply seem to be the loudest voices at the moment. As a parent, I almost feel like they have taken our children hostage as bargaining chips. I can’t understand it. They are educators. They know the importance of in person learning for children. It benefits them not only academically - but social, emotionally, mentally and physically. 

I reach out to you not an aggressive, angry enemy but rather as a desperate mother who feels heartbroken and helpless. 

I wear my mask. I practice social distancing. I’m not hollering about “my freedoms”. I’m simply asking for my daughter, and the other struggling children, to be given the opportunity to receive the education they need. This is quite literally what FCPS is known for: exceptional education. We need to work hard to find a way to reestablish this reputation and all of the wonderful advantages it can offer our children.

With kind regards,

Page Crane