RE: RESPONDING TO THE COVID-19 CRISIS ON CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION
Following the outbreak and spread of the coronavirus, education in the US has been paralyzed and significantly affected by this pandemic. My main concern is that since the explosion, the children have not been going to school. The children must be protected from this deadly virus and provide quality education to them even if the virus is still spreading across the country. The spread of coronavirus not only affected the education sector but also affected the country’s overall production, resulting in a decrease in the real GDP. There should be a policy that provides a platform to understand better what is needed by the families and childcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This will include not only health issues but also matters to do with the education of the children.
The Covid-19 is a national issue as it spread over the whole country and even across the globe. The life of Americans has been dramatically affected and reordered due to the spread of this virus. The new cases are rising day by day, interfering with normal daily operations (New York Times, 2020). Some states in the US have been shut down, and almost all the nations are under strict curfews. As a result of this pandemic, all the schools and educational facilities have been shut down, and no one is allowed to enter these facilities. Education is a vital aspect in the US and should continue even during this pandemic. Children should continue to get education services since it is uncertain when the pandemic might end. To this extent, education is a national issue that must be adequately addressed by the US government. The coronavirus crisis is a national issue affecting the entire nation and not the states. As a result of this crisis, the education sector in the whole country is affected.
In a constitutional democracy, individuals’ rights, marginalized groups, and minorities are respected (Centre for Civic Education, 2005). According to Greg Jackson, constitutional democracy was a direct growth of the Enlightenment movement in the United States. The government should find ways and means to adapt to the new times, especially this time of coronavirus. Constitutional democracy is characterized by popular sovereignty, where the ultimate source of authority is the people. The fundamental rights of individuals in the minority group should be protected (Centre for Civic Education, 2005).
The fundamental values of constitutional democracy must be upheld. One of these values includes fundamental rights, freedom of expression, and justice, among others (Centre for Civic Education,2005). The government must protect the fundamental rights of individuals. Health care and education are among the fundamental rights that must be protected by the government. The child care and education policy relating to the constitutional foundations in that the right to education of children must be protected and proper health care provided in schools during this pandemic. Appropriate amendments should be made on the US constitution to accommodate and make adjustments to the critical issues and the scenarios. It is essential to protect children and educational facilities.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the economy of the United States has been affected. Various sectors of the economy experience recession. Different groups of people have been hit harder by the pandemic, especially women and girls. According to the Bureau of labor statistics, about 20.5 million jobs were lost, raising the unemployment rate to 14.7 percent. Many people would face evictions and foreclosure due to unpaid rents. The federal government did not provide enforcement mechanisms to mitigate the removal, hence increasing the deportations in many cities and states. The business and entrepreneurs are also hit harder by the pandemic. In most cases, restaurants, hotels, and recreational Centres have been closed due to the covid-19 pandemic (Congressional Budget Office, 2020).
The health practitioners have provided guidelines to mitigate the spread of the pandemic. President Trump declared a state of emergency over covid-19 to enhance the response of the federal government to the pandemic (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2020). The political class enacted Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Many policies were also implemented in most of the states to increase access to coronavirus testing and treatment.
The branch of government that is responsible for this policy is the United States Health Ministry. The ministry should formulate and provide proper guidelines that will be implemented by schools and educational facilities. The other branch of government that should be implicated in this policy is the education ministry.
Constitutional solutions to this pandemic
It is essential to protect children and educational facilities. The spread of covid-19 can be prevented by taking the necessary actions and precautions (Lisa Benda,2020). The school administrators should ensure the sharing of information with the health ministry. There should be proper coordination with national and education authorities. The update on the disease situation should be shared accordingly with the relevant authority. This can be achieved by utilizing parent-teacher committees and other mechanisms that will promote the sharing of information (Lisa, 2020).
The continuity of learning should be planned for. This includes the use of online or e-learning strategies, radio or television broadcasting of academic content. This will ensure fewer interactions and close contacts of students.
Implementation of targeted health education. Disease prevention and control should be integrated into daily activities and lessons. This will enable the children to learn how to prevent and control the spread of the virus as they continue with learning.
The other solution is giving support to vulnerable groups. The federal government should ensure that vulnerable population gets support on critical services such as feeding programs and necessary health support.
The strategies that should be implemented to ensure these solutions are implemented include setting a health facility in learning institutions. In collaboration with the national government, the federal government should construct health facilities in every learning institution to ensure that any form of illness is treated immediately. This will ensure continuity in learning.
Proper mitigations to control the coronavirus crisis will enable the citizens to make appropriate choices when selecting the leader. Rational decisions are crucial when it comes to education and health matters. When congressional leaders make proper policies, the people may be encouraged to exercise their democratic rights more appropriately.
I believe it is my duty and responsibility, as indicated in the Bill of Rights, to air out my view concerning the crisis affecting the nation. The right to freedom of speech and expression is therefore exercised appropriately. I believe the policy will be put into practice to ensure continuity in the provision of education and proper health care to children.
Thanks
Yours sincerely,
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Name
Work Cited
Congressional Budget Office (2020). Economic Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic in the United States.
Lisa. B., (2020).Key Messages and Actions for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Schools. Unicef, NYHQ).
Kaiser Family Foundation (January 2020). State Data and Policy Actions to Address Coronavirus.
Center for Civic Education (2005). Constitutional Democracy: An Outline of Essential Elements.