Point of No Return: The State of Education in the U.S.
People are lost. Trapped. Unsure of what to do right now, especially amidst a pandemic, racial tensions, protests, and quarantine. Not only that, but the oversaturation of "what" you should be and "who" you should be, through media platforms, political debates, and the inundation of negative news, distract us from true destiny and fulfillment. Telehealth has been a refuge for many adults, but what about our children? Some of them benefit from mental health services—others, not so much due to the stigma associated with mental health for uninformed or disenfranchised communities.
The educational digital age came in like a hurricane along with the tsunami of racial tension, exposing the gaps. Parents are scrambling to shuffle the hand given them, filtering through loads of packets and emotions while trying to hold up a profession—and that's if they still have a job. School districts are grappling with whether to reopen or continue with digital learning. If we are overwhelmed, our children are drowning due to the weight of our decisions that have anchored them in tumultuous seas of despair.
Children all over the globe are forced to remain separate from their friends. Many social outings are canceled. They have had to end a school year abruptly with a significant change: 100% online learning. Many were not prepared for this, especially not children of non-white ethnic origin. They not only battle the fear of COVID-19, but the fear of participating in everyday norms such as driving a car, walking outside, or going into a store with a mask. In the wake of it all, they must muster the courage to fight and risk their lives by attending protests. It is more expedient to stand up against injustice than to hide under the weight of it, where one continues to suffocate, barely whispering the words, "I can't breathe."
Social media videos, television, and radio stations expose the positive and negative intentions of those who have been in charge of educational systems; why we hardly ever see people of color triumph in our textbooks. Why African American children, in particular, have been experiencing deficits for years. Systemic racism is no mystery to us on the receiving end and the perpetrators. Still, the clues should be undeniable for those who have benefited from this broken system due to their privilege.
It is sporadic that one will see an African American, Mexican American, Latin American, or Native lauded for their inventions and contributions to society in educational materials. If children can't see themselves in what they are learning, how do we expect them to engage?
Cage Free Voices Online Learning combats systemic racism by exposing students to culturally sensitive and diverse online learning while preparing them as 21st Century learners. With sessions such as Cage Free Wellness and Cage Free Theatre—in addition to their academic enrichment sessions—students can communicate with their peers and have their needs met. Parents work alongside us, but they do not carry the burden of having to be a teacher and parent. Further, students can air their grievances with instructors who are knowledgeable of their subject matter and are also advocates of social justice.
Foresight into the direction of education has allowed Cage Free Voices to stay afloat during this difficult time. Parents and students are beginning to recognize more, the value of a blended learning model that reflects students of various ethnic backgrounds. Education has always been on the cusp of shifting into a digital model, and we have been burgeoning at the seams with an incredulous attitude toward cultural needs. We have remained hesitant to accept the inevitable changes that are here. But we are at a point of no return, where we no longer embrace practices that only focus on academics and exclude other cultures. Granted, while there will continue to be some remnants of how things “used” to be, we look forward to better days ahead.
Cage Free Voices is an international multi-service educational
entertainment company that educates youth and young adults who struggle with self-image and identity by way of constructing powerful learning experiences. We provide educational games, curricula, and additional resources for educational publishing companies, school districts, and parents to help re-engage the disengaged while improving academic and social skills.
Find out more:
Company information: https://cagefreevoices.com
CFV Online Learning: https://cfvonlinelearning.tutorbird.com/
Contact Information:
Bathsheba Smithen
Email: bsmithen@cagefreevoices.com
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
