DV Journal

For an alternate viewpoint see, “Counterpoint: Let Parents and Teachers, Not Bureucrats, Make Decisions Aobut Cellphones in Schools”

In today’s digital age, the ubiquitous presence of cellphones has transformed them into essential tools for communication, information and entertainment. However, when placed in the hands of children under 16, these devices can become detrimental, leading to physical inactivity, social isolation and addiction driven by sophisticated algorithms.

As a scientist concerned about public health, I urge parents and policymakers to recognize that the cellphone is not a toy but a powerful device that requires responsible handling.

Research indicates a negative correlation between cellphone use and physical activity among adolescents. A recent study involving 17 adolescents found that increased cellphone use was associated with decreased physical activity and increased sedentary behavior. This sedentary lifestyle contributes to rising obesity rates and related health issues. Moreover, excessive screen time can lead to social isolation, as face-to-face interactions are replaced by virtual engagements, hindering the development of essential social skills.

The addictive nature of social media platforms exacerbates these problems. These platforms — designed to capture and hold users’ attention — employ algorithms that encourage prolonged use, making it challenging for young minds to disengage. Recognizing this, California enacted the “Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act” in September. This legislation prohibits social media platforms from providing addictive feeds to minors without parental consent, aiming to mitigate the adverse mental health outcomes associated with heavy social media usage.

The bill acknowledges the mental health crisis, noting the increase in adolescent suicides, depressive episodes, and feelings of sadness and hopelessness in recent years. While the act is a significant step toward protecting children, it is ultimately the responsibility of parents to guide their children’s use of technology. Understanding the merits and responsibilities of being an educational and social advocate is crucial in facilitating healthier, more active lifestyles for young people.

Government leaders nationwide are beginning to recognize the gravity of the issue. While California has taken an initial step, other states are attempting to implement policies that limit excessive social media use among minors. New York and Texas have proposed similar legislation requiring social media companies to implement stricter parental controls.

Lawmakers in these states argue that such measures are necessary to curb the growing mental health crisis.

Congress has held hearings examining the effect of social media on mental health, calling on technology executives to testify on their platform’s role in increasing addiction and psychological distress among youth. These discussions highlight the growing concern among lawmakers about the long-term consequences of unregulated social media use. Yet, despite these hearings and policy proposals, progress remains slow. The powerful influence of the tech industry, coupled with legal and logistical challenges, makes enacting a one-size-fits-all solution difficult.

It’s important to note that the human brain, particularly the prefrontal cortex responsible for decision-making, is not fully developed until the mid-20s. Granting unrestricted access to cellphones at a young age can interfere with this development, leading to impulsive behavior and poor decision-making. Therefore, while legislation like the one in California provides a framework for protection, parental involvement is paramount in ensuring children develop resilience through real-world interactions and physical activity.

Before the smartphone era, society enjoyed more direct social interactions and higher levels of physical activity. Today, we face increasing rates of physical inactivity, obesity and mental health issues among youth. The pervasive use of cellphones and social media platforms has introduced new challenges that threaten to alter the health landscape for this generation.

Some schools have taken proactive measures to reduce cellphone distractions during the academic day. In New Jersey and Ohio, institutions use neoprene bags with magnetic locks to collect and secure students’ phones upon arrival, returning them after school hours. This approach minimizes distractions and encourages students to engage more fully in their education and peer interactions.

However, managing cellphone use at home remains unregulated and falls squarely on parents’ shoulders. Parents must recognize the detrimental effects of excessive cellphone use and prioritize after-school activities and homework over screen time. Encouraging children to participate in physical activities and creative endeavors fosters social engagement and builds resilience.

While state governments are taking steps to mitigate the negative effects of social media, the federal government must take a stronger stance. Without nationwide regulations, technology companies will continue to operate with little accountability, exploiting young users for profit. National legislation that standardizes parental control requirements enforces age-appropriate content restrictions, and holds tech companies accountable for harmful algorithms would go a long way in safeguarding children’s well-being.

Parents and policymakers must work together to ensure youth develop healthy habits, engage in physical activity and build meaningful social connections. By recognizing the cellphone as a powerful tool rather than a toy, we can help safeguard the next generation’s well-being.

For an alternate viewpoint, see “Point: Cell Phones Are Distractions, Not Toys”

Should kids have access to smartphones in school? Some argue the smartphone problem leads to distraction. Others say smartphones are necessary for reasons related to safety or other concerns.

In reality, it is a more complicated question than it appears. Yet, oftentimes, when complicated questions arise, broad state-level policies that take the choice away from parents and educators lack the flexibility needed for a more nuanced solution.

As a former elementary and middle school teacher, I certainly empathize with educators, policymakers and parents who may be concerned today’s kids are more distracted by their smartphones in negative ways. Some teachers have instead positively capitalized on young people’s desire to keep and use their smartphones.

Norms around any form of technology may vary from classroom to classroom or school to school. However, the “if you can’t beat them, join them” strategy for smartphone usage in school can be productive.

For example, teachers have used smartphones straightforwardly, such as for educational apps or conducting classroom polls or quizzes. Some teachers have supported students’ unique needs — such as allowing them to stream music to stay focused — but still restricted unauthorized use through classroom management. Others have helped students use their smartphones to gain organizational skills that may extend past the classroom, such as using calendars or keeping records of grades and assignments.

Outside of classroom use, there may be many legitimate reasons that a parent wants their child to have a smartphone at school. According to a survey from the National Parents Union, the most cited reason a parent wants their child to have a smartphone in the classroom is to be able to contact the parent in an emergency.

During the tragic Uvalde school shooting, a 10-year-old with a cellphone called 911 and kept law enforcement informed of the situation. Similarly, cellphones were a lifeline and further documented the harrowing reality of the Parkland High School shooting.

Other safety reasons may be more individualized, such as needing children with medical diagnoses to contact a parent. Sometimes, a parent and child need a means of communication when escaping an abusive partner. In some communities, violence outside of school and unjustified bias against immigrants have made parents feel safer knowing they can always contact their children.

Of course, safety is not the only reason a parent may feel more comfortable with their child having access to their smartphone during the school day. Parents in the National Parents Union survey also frequently cited the logistics of transportation or appointments and a desire for a child to be able to communicate about their mental health or other needs.

In some households, particularly those with low socioeconomic status, smartphones are the primary internet connectivity method. This means that a child needs access to a smartphone to complete the required assignments or that using a smartphone will help them keep up with their peers who might have access to more technology.

As with many cases regarding kids and technology, the answer is not one size fits all. Schools and parents should teach good digital citizenship skills, including the appropriate use of smartphones. State-level bans may not consider the nuanced reasons parents, students and teachers want smartphones and may make exceptions more difficult.

Such decisions are better made at a local level. The school, district, or classroom’s decisions should involve educators, parents and students to find the ideal balance and make exceptions when appropriate. Instead of a state-level ban, school choice programs available in over 33 states can allow parents to select the proper educational environment for their child, including whether smartphones should be in or out of the classroom.

Families will have a wide array of preferences when it comes to the use of technology in the classroom. Sometimes, a smartphone-free environment might appeal to parents. Still, others may want a school that embraces all the technology their child will likely encounter. It should not be presumed that parents or teachers who support students’ smartphone use are merely enablers of smartphone addiction. Instead, technology usage — like many other aspects — should be one factor in the choices around their child’s education.

Over the past decade, Pennsylvania has increased education spending by 51 percent, now spending about $20,900 per student. Despite this, fourth-grade reading scores have steadily dropped, showing that more money isn’t fixing the problem. This should concern everyone who cares about our kids’ future.

I believe we need to rethink how we teach reading and focus on what actually works. Research shows that structured literacy — teaching phonics, vocabulary and comprehension systematically— helps kids become strong readers. But many of our schools aren’t using these proven methods.

Since 2013, Pennsylvania’s reading scores have fallen by nearly 15 points on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), even as spending outpaced inflation. Reading is the foundation for all learning. When students struggle to read, their ability to excel in math, science and social studies is also compromised.

Here’s how we can turn things around:

· Train Teachers: Make sure all teachers are trained in the science of reading and structured literacy practices.

· Literacy Coaches/Trainers: Make a team of coaches and trainers available to every school in the state.

· Early Screening: Screen kids in kindergarten through second grade to catch reading struggles early and provide targeted help.

· Transparency: Require schools to report reading proficiency by grade level so parents and communities know where things stand.

· Smart Spending: Use education dollars on programs and materials proven to boost reading skills, like phonics-based curricula.

Some say this approach is too rigid, but the current system clearly isn’t working. Declining scores show we need a consistent, evidence-based approach to teaching reading. This isn’t about politics — it’s about giving every child the tools to succeed.

Let’s stop focusing on how much we’re spending and start focusing on results. By prioritizing early literacy, we can set Pennsylvania’s kids up for success. They deserve nothing less.

At the heart of education is a promise: the promise of opportunity, growth, and a brighter future.

Yet, for countless students in Pennsylvania’s consistently lowest-performing schools, this promise remains elusive, trapped behind the barriers of geographic limitations, economic restrictions, or limited access to quality instruction.

The reality in many parts of the state, like Philadelphia, is that students and parents desperately want better educational opportunities for their kids. Parents with students in the bottom 15% performing public schools in Pennsylvania often grapple with challenges that hinder the delivery of quality education. These challenges can include overcrowded classrooms, an increased presence of violence, and a need for more educators.

The House Republican Policy Committee recently convened to hear about school choice from eager parents and educators speaking on behalf of students looking for real change to a broken and outdated education system.

The change they advocated for was the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) scholarship program, a bipartisan policy initiative that would serve as a transformative solution granting families the opportunity to select the educational curriculum most suitable for their child’s needs. Access to these scholarship dollars and more educational choices further empowers parents as they take an active role in their child’s education, fostering a sense of ownership and partnership between families and schools.

Introducing competition and encouraging innovation, PASS scholarships will be a catalyst for positive change. Students will have the freedom to leave underperforming schools instead of being trapped in a one-size-fits-all, government-run system. Schools, both private and public, will be competing to attract students by improving curriculum, engaging parents, creating a 21st century learning environment and prioritizing the well-being of their students.

Special interests who oppose the program have argued falsely that PASS scholarships divert resources away from struggling schools, exacerbating their challenges. The truth is that funding for a PASS scholarship program would come from a separate state account while also preserving full funding for traditional K-12 public education.

At one of the Republican Policy Committee hearings, a mother from Philadelphia made a point to mention she is a Democrat and this issue goes beyond party lines. She testified that, if implemented, this program would force schools to “up their game…and hold their schools accountable.” By embracing competition in education, we create a system where schools are driven to excel, breaking the cycle of underperforming institutions, and where the students are the ultimate winners, gaining access to more diverse and innovative learning opportunities.

Pennsylvania has a unique opportunity to lead the way in innovation in education by embracing PASS scholarships as a powerful and life-changing solution for those who need it most.

As the Pennsylvania House of Representatives returns to session and legislators fill the capitol, they have an opportunity to pass a bipartisan school choice initiative that will have a positive generational impact. Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro promised to support the program during his campaign and now is the time to deliver on that promise for the next generation of Pennsylvania.

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When Emil Fish talked to students at Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr on Holocaust Remembrance Day, he spoke from memory. His own.

Fish, 87, is a survivor of the Holocaust, and he looks for opportunities to share his story with groups around the Delaware Valley. He told the Barrack Academy students they would be the last generation to hear from the Holocaust survivors in person and it would be up to them to tell others about that horrific event in the future.

“Faith in Hashem (God), physical strength, having money, knowing the right people and the goodness of strangers” helped his family survive the Holocaust, he said. “Among them were many, many who were not Jewish.”

Fish lived with his Hasidic family in Bardejov, a small town in eastern Slovakia where a third of the population was Jewish. Before World War II, Czechoslovakia was a democratic country. But it was rife with antisemitism, and Fish was bullied at public school.

After World War II began, the Nazis ordered Jews in Bardejov rounded up to be sent to Auschwitz. However, his family was among those allowed to stay because the Nazis deemed his father’s business, which was groceries, lumber, and railroad ties, essential.

Some 90 percent of the town’s Jews were sent to Auschwitz on the “first official transport,” and most did not return. Two years later, the Nazis ordered all the Jews to one area “so it would be easier to arrest us and finish us forever,” Fish explained.  His family moved to a town in the western part of the country.

Emil Fish with his mother and sister. His sister refused to wear a yellow armband the Nazis required for Jews.

Early one morning, his mother went to get fresh bread. As she was crossing the railroad tracks, a Gestapo officer stopped her and accused her of being a Jew. A railroad guard who knew her convinced him she was a Gentile. At that point, his parents knew they had to leave. They found refuge at a farm and hid in a barn attic.

They stayed there for a few months until it became too dangerous. A guide took them to another farmhouse in a small village.

But the farmer who “never had any money before” went to a tavern, drank, and bragged that he had money from hiding Jews.

They had to leave again and hired another guide to take them to the nearest train station through a forest. A forest ranger they encountered shot at their guide as he ran away, but Fish’s father gave the ranger money and his mother’s fur coat. The ranger let them go.

At the train station, there were German soldiers. The children acted like peasants as instructed by their parents and the soldiers ignored them.

After disembarking in Bratislava, they went to an apartment. The owner notified the Gestapo leading to their arrest.

“We were sure they were going to shoot us and dump us in the river,” he said.

The Germans then separated his father from the rest of the family and sent him to Buchenwald.

“That was the scariest moment of my life,” said Fish.

His mother, sister, and Fish were put into a cattle car “packed like sardines” and headed to Auschwitz. “There was no food, no water, no sanitation facilities on the train,” he said. The tracks going to Auschwitz had been bombed, and the train was diverted to Bergen-Belsen, another concentration camp. Fish was 9 years old.

Soldiers yelled at them. There were German shepherd dogs and floodlights, he remembered.

“Bergen-Belsen was a scary place, getting worse and worse every day. There were piles of thousands of corpses stacked in front of his barracks at the camp.” Fish saw people die daily of starvation and diseases, including typhus, “right before our eyes.”

Emil Fish with Holocaust Education and Reflection Club officers (from left) Talia Willner, Ellie LaVoe and Eden Singer.

“We had to wake up every morning, stand in a roll call, and wait for officers to make sure nobody escaped,” he said. “Many times people died standing…Surviving was a daily challenge.”

On April 15, 1945, British soldiers liberated the camp. Unfortunately, some of the desperate and hungry died from overeating or eating the wrong food afterward. “It was chaos.”

Fish’s family made their way back to Bardejov, and amazingly, Fish’s father had also survived. Only 10 percent of Slovakian Jews survived the Holocaust. Fish went to Israel to study, and his family went to Canada.

His parents insisted he join them in Canada and the family then settled in Los Angeles in 1955. Fish now divides his time between Los Angeles and Lower Merion, where his daughter lives.

“I never had any intentions of ever visiting Bardejov, but my children– I married and had three kids—insisted on going on a heritage tour.” So in 2005 two of his three kids went with him and his late wife to his hometown. Fish is also the grandfather of 12.

He had intended to visit the cemetery.

“What I found broke my heart,” he said. “The Jewish cemetery was overgrown with weeds.” The synagogue was a hardware store and the Jewish school had become a school of commerce.

“There were no Jews living there any longer and no evidence of our rich and vibrant past,” he said. He used his own money and started a foundation to restore the cemetery and build a memorial for the 3,381 Jews from the town who were killed in the Holocaust “to make sure they remember and to make sure this never, never happens again. I would not let Hitler win.”

Answering questions from students, Fish said he did not lose his faith because, “Jewish history is full of tragedies.”

“I don’t blame God for what happened. I blame human beings.”

“There is no Holocaust survivor that doesn’t think about the Holocaust every day because it affects you so much,” he said.

Fish studied engineering at the University of Southern California and was hired by Bechtel Corp. He went on to become a land developer and a retirement home businessman. In 2005, he gave up most of his business to focus on projects, including writing and lecturing about the Holocaust. He also founded the Fish School of Holocaust Studies at Yeshiva University.

In 2010, former President Barack Obama appointed Fish to the United States Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, on which he still serves.

The parents of two Barrack Academy students whose relatives were from Bardejov came to hear Fish’s lecture and speak with him. He remembered their relatives and greeted them warmly.

Philadelphia resident Gregg Kanter said his father-in-law, Marcus Rosenberg, was from Berdejov.

“It’s the next level of Jewish geography,” joked Deena Kobell, also of Philadelphia, whose grandfather, Adolf Leiner, was also a survivor from Bardejov.

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Pennsylvania has the third-highest rate of major depressive episodes (MDE) among children in the nation, according to a health advocacy organization. And mental health professionals are linking childrens’ health problems to the decision to close classrooms in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Mental Health America, at least 13 percent of children from ages 12 to 17 reported having a major depressive episode (MDE) in the last year. Pennsylvania was ranked third with nearly 12 percent. In addition, the total number of youth experiencing an MDE increased by 206,000 nationwide since last year.

Closed classrooms have proven to be an academic disaster, according to test results and education experts. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), and the Children’s Hospital Association declared a national emergency for children’s mental health in October 

“I think that we are in the deep end of a mental health crisis, and I think the COVID-19 pandemic is only making it worse,” said AACAP President Warren Yiu Kee Ng. And Children’s hospitals reported a 38 percent increase of mental-health emergency room visits in the third quarter of 2021 compared to 2020, the Children’s Hospital Association reports.

Lauren H., a parent from Media who asked that her last name not be used, said her two-year-old son experiences some of that school avoidance as he navigates his first year of preschool.

“I don’t want to go back to school. I’m not safe there,” Lauren’s son told her. When asked why he didn’t feel safe, he explained to his mother that he needed to be a “superhero and wear a mask so he doesn’t get sick or make other people sick.”

Lauren explained the constant shutdowns for quarantine are also making it hard for her son to adjust to the separation.

“My little guy is 2 and started preschool for the first time,” Lauren said. “It’s now about halfway through the year and he’s still a mess with separation anxiety because we can’t get a consistent schedule. School shuts down all the time for quarantine, which as a working parent, is an absolute nightmare, too. He’s a pretty confident little dude so it’s heartbreaking. And fortunately, my job is supporting me. If they weren’t, there is no way I’d be able to work.”

“It’s hard to regulate your emotions when you’re feeling anxious,” Inna Leiter Psy.D., child and adolescent

Inna Leiter

psychologist and director for the Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, told Delaware Valley Journal. “I’m an anxiety expert, but I’m definitely seeing higher rates of anxiety with regard to going to school. So school anxiety and school avoidance was always something I specialized in, but now I’m seeing higher rates of that because kids are scared for their safety at school and their health.”

Leiter said that parents may see behaviors like biting and hitting in younger kids, who are going to be more likely to struggle more with emotion regulation and have it be exhibited in behaviors like lashing out.

“When you’re scared it’s harder to regulate other emotions like frustration. So, frustration tolerance is going to be harder when you’re trying to regulate your emotions when you’re already feeling anxious. I think that exacerbates the problem too.”

Zora M. Wolfe

Zora M. Wolfe, EdD, director of K-12 Educational Leadership and Instructional Technology Programs for Widener University, said it’s not just younger grade-level students that are struggling to adjust.

“We are seeing this across the board,” Wolfe said. “So, not only are they adjusting to different expectations, in a sense, they almost jumped a couple of years beyond the last time they were in a school. So, we’re seeing high school students behaving like middle school students since they’ve actually lost those years in that middle school setting.

“So we have high school teachers talking about, ‘Oh my goodness, my freshmen are acting like middle schoolers.’ And there are problems in the bathrooms and those types of things. But the reality is those students haven’t been in middle school so they’ve lost those years in that setting. They’ve lost the learning that comes with being in those settings and trying to figure out what those social interactions look like with their teachers and their peers.”

Leiter explained the best thing parents can do to help their kids adjust during this difficult time is to have a plan in place.

“I think it’s smart to have a plan,” Leiter said. “I think you should assume your classroom at some point is going to maybe get shut down and to have a solid plan in place that you discuss with the child at a neutral time, not when it’s actually happening, but at a time when school’s still going on, of collaborating with that child for what that plan could look like for the days when they’re going to be virtual.”

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A group of Souderton Area School District (SASD) parents protested outside the district administration building this week, opposing the mask mandate for students, teachers, and staff.

Kaitlin Derstine, with Soudy Strong Conservatives, said the group feels betrayed by the district’s change in policy because they believed once the statewide mask mandate was struck down by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, SASD would reverse its mask mandate as well.

Derstine says she is very disappointed that the school board members her group worked to help elect did not stand up to administrators and oppose the mask policy.

“In August our board had voted for mask choice for the whole district,” said Derstine. “Then the (state) mandate came out the first day of school.” Parents got an email saying the district would be requiring masks, she said.  “And then we had to fight to get an exemption form.”

“All the while the understanding was when the mask mandate lifts, we will get back to mask choice,” Derstine added.

Even though COVID cases have increased, Derstine says she believes parents should have the choice of whether their children should have to wear a mask for the school day. She pointed out other districts, like nearby North Penn, which has had strict mask and quarantine policies, also has COVID cases that are “exploding through the roof.”

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. told Face The Nation this week, “Cloth masks aren’t going to provide a lot of protection, that’s the bottom line.

“This is an airborne illness. We now understand that, and a cloth mask is not going to protect you from a virus that spreads through airborne transmission. It could protect better through droplet transmission, something like the flu, but not something like this coronavirus,” Gottlieb said.”

And a recent report by the BBC said it was “inconclusive” whether masks in schools stop the spread of COVID.

If district officials had told parents in August that they would require masks, parents could have planned accordingly.

“All of us parents (who oppose masks) would have found other options for our kids,” said Derstine. “We would pursue other avenues, formed ‘pods.’ Of course, the district didn’t want that because that would have cost them money.”

Tax dollars per student would have gone to support the learning pods instead of the school district, she said.

Or like-minded parents would have signed their children up for an online charter school, which the district would also have to fund, she said.

She noted that her son went to summer school last summer without a mask and there were no problems. When their kids are sick, parents will keep them at home, she said.

SASD Superintendent Frank Gallagher did not respond to a request for comment.

“We are demanding medical freedom,” said Derstine. “We are demanding parent choice.”

She is also concerned that teachers, the school nurse, and administrators are busy tracing contacts of students who have COVID, rather than educating kids.

“That is not their job,” said Derstine. “That’s not what we, the taxpayers, pay them to do.”

Some school districts in the area and around the country have been closing schools in the wake of increased COVID cases with the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, which has caused staff shortages.

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While Pennsylvania school districts are open again for the time being, students who test positive for COVID-19 and other students who come into close contact with them are being kept at home for up to 10 days in quarantine.

“There are thousands of children sitting at home with no instruction waiting for their days to pass,” said Beth Ann Rosica, executive director of Back to School PA PAC, a group that funded candidates in the November school board elections who believed in keeping kids in school.

“If kids are vaccinated the quarantine can be for a lesser amount of time,” said Rosica. “Most of the time students must stay home for 10 days if they test positive for COVID, But sometimes it’s seven days and sometimes it’s five days. There is no rhyme or reason to what’s happening.”

Langley Barnes, whose son Jordan, 7, is in second grade in the West Chester Area School District, said he’s been quarantined once so far, the week before Thanksgiving. Now she fears there will be more quarantine weeks as the school year goes on.

“I’m a full-time, single parent,” said Barnes. “I’m lucky that I work at home and have a super-flexible job.”

But it’s difficult for her to teach Jordan at home. He has learning differences and an individualized education plan (IEP).

Being at home rather than at school is “hard for his development,” she said. It is also very difficult for the second grader to learn even at school with teachers wearing masks because he has “auditory processing issues,” she said. Having a school year with remote learning last year did not help.

“He’s really behind and the emotional toll is hard for both of us,” she said. “He realizes he’s behind his friends (in reading). That’s tough with a 7-year-old. He doesn’t understand why.”

Meredith Mercatante’s fourth-grade twins have been home from school in the Haverford Township School District for 10 days after first one, then the other, tested positive for COVID. She had to push the school to let them log into their classrooms on Zoom. And Mercatante is frustrated that the district required her girls to be home for 10 days when they were feeling fine for the last five days.

“I reached out to see if they could come back if they tested negative,” she said. But the answer was no. The district is following the state Health Department protocol, which is from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

“They were really home for a week when they were perfectly fine,” she said.

At Fox Chase Elementary School in Philadelphia, parents were told by the principal, Rob Caroselli, on Thursday that as of Friday unvaccinated children could not attend that school for 10 days for a quarantine, however unvaccinated kids could come to class.

Christina Clark, a spokeswoman for the district, said, “There were multiple days of potential COVID-19 exposure during lunch periods (at that school). In response, we were instructed by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health that the entire school will need to quarantine for 10 days. Per health official guidance, those who are fully vaccinated are not required to quarantine and can therefore come to school during this time with proof of vaccination. Once this quarantine period has ended, all students regardless of vaccination status will be able to attend Fox Chase School in-person.”

“These kids have no computers,” said Rosica. “This is such discrimination. It’s horrendous.” She urged people to call Mayor Jim Kenney’s office to complain.

Rosica said, “We’re continuing to push back, with school districts and county departments of health. We’re trying to encourage parents to be vocal and make comments at school board meetings. This isn’t okay. It’s not over. There are schools still closing.”

“For us at Back to School PA it’s this issue of kids not always being in school,” said Rosica. “We are fearful as cases rise over the cold and flu season, we’re going to see more school closures.”

“It is a big deal what we’re seeing, the learning loss,” she said. “These kids are already so far behind.” If they are at home they are “doing nothing but getting further and further behind.”

For example, math class and foreign language classes are sequential, so it’s hard for them to catch up if the students have missed 10 days of instruction in those subjects.

“Last year when all this stuff happened they had the remote option to Zoom in,” Rosica said. “At least they had something to get instruction with.” But many kids are “quarantined for weeks at home and they have nothing.”

Barnes is also worried.

“Second grade is a pivotal year (for reading),” she said. “We have a neighborhood gang of kids, so that has helped (socially),” she said.

But the pandemic has clearly affected this generation of children and not just educationally.

“I’ve seen kids turn into germophobes,” she said. “We have failed our children.”

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