When disaster strikes, children lose so much. too many people lost family to Wildfires hit all of Los Angeles Recently. They lost their home. They have lost the sense of stability and predictability that so many children rely on. And to make matters worse, many of them have lost their schools.
At least 9 schools In the Los Angeles area, fires have caused destruction or significant damage. Video uploaded by the principal Smoke rose from the playground on the south campus of Odyssey Charter School in Altadena and billowed into the sky, while flames were still burning in the building. Marquez Charter Elementary School in Pacific Palisades is “dust,” says one parent told The Cut. Meanwhile, thousands more schools closed last week as communities faced evacuation warnings, power outages and disaster situations. air full of smokeMore than 600,000 students left school.
Unfortunately, as climate disasters become more frequent, this disruption has become part of the new normal for children. Americans experienced this last year. 27 meteorological disasters It caused more than $1 billion in damage, the second highest on record. Meanwhile, the number of days U.S. schools are closed due to heat waves is doubled in recent years.
There is often nothing officials can do to avoid a shutdown. This is especially true if the school is damaged or has a power outage. But “when schools are closed, children don’t learn,” he said. Melinda MorrillHe is an economics professor at North Carolina State University who has studied the impact of lockdowns.
Research on subsequent school closures Hurricane Matthew and Florence It’s sobering in North Carolina. In particular, he said, “students did not reflect on themselves” in the lower grades of elementary school. Cassandra R. DavisA UNC Chapel Hill public policy professor who has studied closures. In some cases, the academic impact was lasting. More than 1 year.
Beyond academics, millions of students They rely on schools for services such as mental health support and speech therapy. millions more You will need free or reduced prices offered by the school cafeteria. School is also an important source of stability in the lives of many children. School is where they go five days a week to see their friends, teachers, favorite books, art on the walls, and special stuffed animals in a calming space. Losing everything can be a huge emotional blow.
Students at Odyssey Charter School currently meet at the local Boys and Girls Club, where teachers and staff visit. Bonnie Brimecom told me Some children who used to have big, lively personalities “just sit there and don’t talk,” she said. Others “just hug you so tight and won’t let go.”
Climate change threatens the mental health of youth. Here’s how to help them cope:
Experts, educators, and families are just beginning to understand what helps students recover after their schools are devastated by storms or fires. But one thing they agree on is that districts and policymakers need to start preparing schools and students for the next disaster. It starts from today. “This is going to happen again and again and again,” said Susanna Joy Smith, a mother of two in Asheville, North Carolina, whose children were out of school for a month after Hurricane Helen last year. “We must learn from these experiences and adapt.”
Losing school hurts children academically and emotionally.
A fire broke out in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) last week, forcing all schools to close for at least two days. Many reopened on Monday, but about 10 remained closed as of Monday evening. Some of them were in evacuation zones and three were seriously damaged or destroyed. Office of the LAUSD Assistant Superintendent for Business Services and Operations Pedro Salcido told me Students from Marquez and another destroyed elementary school will be relocated to: Two schools nearby For the rest of the school year. All 23 schools in the Pasadena Unified School District, which includes Altadena and other areas devastated by terrorism. eaton fire, remain closed This week.
This is a disruption that is sadly familiar to a growing number of children and families across the country. In 2018, the Camp Fire caused destruction. 8 out of 9 schools In Paradise, California. Same year, Hurricane Florence hit North Carolina.Some schools will have to close for the time being. 26th. Then last year, hurricane helen attacked the western part of the state; destroy at least one school Others were closed for weeks due to flood damage and lack of power or water.
School closures following Hurricane Florence were associated with significant declines in students’ math and reading test scores. Moril discoveredThe impact is seen across demographic groups and among both high and low achieving students. “Every student is affected,” Morrill said.
For Smith’s older son, “missing a month of second grade was a really big deal.” Early grades are very important. This is to develop reading skills.
Many school districts are switching to remote learning for some weather-related school closures. snow day. But remote school has been difficult for many students during the COVID-19 lockdown. significant learning loss. Not all children have laptops or access to the internet. Neurodiverse Students Alternatively, people with learning differences may find virtual learning particularly challenging.
Students at Odyssey are fearful of returning to the pandemic virtual learning era, Brimecombe said. “I am so traumatized by my experience on Zoom.”
When disaster strikes the same children over and over again, the impact of each missed day can be compounded. In places like North Carolina, where “we typically get a tropical storm every two years,” students can find their education continually disrupted, falling further behind, Davis said. “It’s like constant catching up.”
Extreme heat is making schools hotter and learning more difficult.
Meanwhile, students may struggle emotionally long after the disaster is over. Months after Hurricane Matthew, teachers had to interrupt classes to help students who feared being “washed out” as the storm hit, Davis said.
Smith’s younger son, Helene, 4, said she understands that “the lights might go off overnight and not come on for weeks.” “It’s heartbreaking, but it’s also the reality these children are growing up in.”
Children also go through a complex recovery process
Adults can help children cope with this reality, experts say. This means learning how to adapt your curriculum. calculate lost time Davis said they provide mental health support to both students and teachers.
Children should also learn about climate change and disaster preparedness in school, Smith said. “For kids these days, it’s just a life skill.” Tips from Vox’s Allie Volpe Preparing children for climate disaster; LAist Resource List I especially talked to the kids about fire.
Experts say it’s also important to make school buildings more climate resilient. Already working on it. And when disaster strikes, Morrill said, school districts must find ways to get children back in school as quickly as possible and make up time for the days they miss. She said holding “weekend classes for the bottom 10%” is not enough. “Everyone will be affected to some extent.”
At Odyssey, finding classroom space for children to return to is a top priority. School leaders are reaching out to local churches and leasing space. We launched a GoFundMe To help with costs. They hope to return in person next week.
Brimecombe said they “won’t start with learning” when they are together in their new space. “We will start with the community. We’ll start with social-emotional lessons. “I’ll start with a happy heart.”
