The Crisis Continuum
COVID-19 has been a devastating disruptor. It has laid bare the cumulative impact of subsequent waves of austerity—the true crisis of neglect that undermines our education system and that marks our society even as we happily share those “Meanwhile in Canada” videos. Neglect of the need to meet students where they’re at in order for them to thrive. Neglect of the funding and resources needed so that educators can support kids and communities in schools which are both places of work and places of learning. Neglect of students with exceptionalities and special needs and the resources required to ensure they too can thrive. Neglect of the socioeconomic inequity both magnified and compounded by COVID-19. Neglect of the shameful legacy of colonialism and racism that is by no means confined to classrooms.
This collection of articles addresses those pre-existing crises, and how COVID-19 illuminated them, underscored them…and has provided us with an opportunity to have an honest conversation about the chasm between the schools we’re told we can afford and the ones we know our kids—all our kids—deserve.
Attachments
CCPA Monitor Jan Feb 2022 OSOS WEB.pdf
About the author
Erika (she/her) became Director of the National Office in 2020, but began her career at the CCPA in 1997 as director of the Education Project. Originally established to monitor corporate intrusion in public education, the project broadened its focus to include standardized testing, social justice and anti-racism education in schools, educational equity, school finance, child care and early childhood education, tuition and user fees, technology, surveillance and privacy, the arts, and community-based education. In 2000 she also became editor of Our Schools/Our Selves, the popular education journal founded in 1988. It provides commentary and analysis on a wide variety of education-related topics. Erika has a BA in History from McGill University and an MA in English (critical literary analysis) from the University of Guelph. Prior to coming to the CCPA, she worked in Washington DC researching the corporatization of childhood, and was one of the founders of UNPLUG (which became the now-defunct Center for Commercial-Free Public Education). She spends far too much time on social media.
Erika (she/her) became Director of the National Office in 2020, but began her career at the CCPA in 1997 as director of the Education Project. Originally established to monitor corporate intrusion in public education, the project broadened its focus to include standardized testing, social justice and anti-racism education in schools, educational equity, school finance, child care and early childhood education, tuition and user fees, technology, surveillance and privacy, the arts, and community-based education. In 2000 she also became editor of Our Schools/Our Selves, the popular education journal founded in 1988. It provides commentary and analysis on a wide variety of education-related topics. Erika has a BA in History from McGill University and an MA in English (critical literary analysis) from the University of Guelph. Prior to coming to the CCPA, she worked in Washington DC researching the corporatization of childhood, and was one of the founders of UNPLUG (which became the now-defunct Center for Commercial-Free Public Education). She spends far too much time on social media.
