Parents, Be Nice To Teachers and Staff When Schools Are Shut Down

The comments and blame for a Rockford-area school shutting down were a bit much.

As parents and guardians, we should be leading by example. Being a good example and cool-headed has been challenging in 2020, there's no doubt. Regardless of the trials and tribulations, it is our job as adults to maintain a level head around our impressionable children, no matter their age. This is not always an easy task but it might be more important now more than ever. My plea is to listen, think, react in your head, think a little more, and then react outwardly when you find out your children's school might be shut down because of COVID-19 concerns.

I live in Byron, where it was announced Mary Morgan Elementary would be shutting down for two weeks due to concerns of coronavirus. Here's a play-by-play leading to the official announcement from the superintendent of Byron's school district.

• Elementary school parents notice children are being sent home with laptops and the older kids are informing their parents they will be remote learning for two weeks.
• Teachers begin reaching out to parents explaining when they found out, 20-30 minutes prior to the end of the school day.
• Facebook status' and groups start flooding with frustration. ("Why haven't they told us anything?!" "Why didn't we find out sooner?")
• A few hours later the district releases a detailed email with explaining the situation, followed by an automated call sharing similar information.
• Parents are still venting on Facebook.

I get it, being caught off guard and having to make arrangements on such short notice can be a challenge. But, playing devil's advocate, think about the teachers and principals making sure al their students have necessary at-home learning supplies and then have to finalize their remote learning procedures. Should there have been a plan in place? Yes, and there was but when instructions from the health departments come in at the 11th hour, things can be a little chaotic. My point? Give the school staff a little slack. The last thing they need is for us venting at home only for our kids to go back to school repeating it to the teachers who are also working through these uncertain times.

JB Love is ½ of  Q98.5's Lil Zim & JB In The Morning, weekday mornings from 5:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.