Notes from Jackson Street: Let’s stay calm when it comes to the Board, Virus
By John A. Winters, Publisher
The final scene in the classic college movie Animal House involves a parade, and the Deathmobile, which is plowing through said parade.
Parade attendees start running away from the Deathmobile and toward this fraternity guy. A stereotypical guy who thinks he’s a god and everyone hates his snooty self.
He is screaming “remain calm …all is well” (he apparently is part of the crowd control police) and waving his arms at the crowd rampaging down on him.
Cue the next scene, and he is flattened into the street, which makes sense since he’s just been trampled by hundreds of people. He can barely be heard whimpering, “remain calm … all is well.”
Don’t know about you, but I’m feeling like that guy these days.
July’s statewide coronavirus numbers are nearly equal to March through June combined. More than 150,000 Americans have died from COVID-19.
Yet our biggest arguments/discussions are: where to find a supportive doctor to write a “cannot wear mask, get out of jail free” note; whether a “doctor” from Nigeria, who said certain diseases are caused by sex with demons and has strange thoughts on aliens, really has the COVID-19 cure; and let’s face it, whether coronavirus is really real.
I could go on, I’m not because, to put it bluntly, things are what they are.
By that I mean the Coweta County School Board has voted to start school on Aug. 13, but it will be online and remain so until administrators feel it is safe. And that has thrown the county into a tizzy.
Soapbox time: Unless you have sat at the table with Evan Horton, our new school superintendent, and his staff, day after day making these decisions about educating our kids, while at the same time keeping them alive, then, for all that is holy …
Stay quiet. Take a 14-day Internet quarantine.
All is not well, but we can remain calm. And let’s deal with reality.
I have already seen posts about creating small “neighborhood classrooms” where at least a few kids could study together during this online mandate. Great idea.
Another great idea comes from Lisa Guadalupe, director at Championship Martial Arts on Millard Farmer. She has offered her studio as a virtual learning center. She is a ninth degree black belt, trust me, your kids are safe.
It is that latter idea that I throw out as a challenge. Do you have space to handle 10 or 15 kids? An office, a Sunday School classroom, heck a warehouse or studio?
We have kids whose only meal is what they get at school and through nonprofits. We have single parents who have to work.
Let’s think outside. Let’s get these kids fed and educated, while keeping everyone safe until administrators determine when it is appropriate to go back to face-to-face instruction.
If you have space or an idea like Lisa’s, you can email me directly at [email protected] and we will make sure and get the word out.
And hey, let’s all stay calm.
