Page 12 - Sonoma County Gazette May 2020
P. 12

FORWARD cont’d from page 1
Many welcome these changes even if they never imagined this goodness could come from such a horrific global virus.
Today, out of a sense of self preservation, we have blown open new avenues for living, teaching, and working. These last few months have given us a glimpse - like Ebenezer Scrooge got, of how things could be - before it is
too late. We have been given a glimpse of a rejuvenated, healthy planet that supports all life. Let us be moved to action as was Mr. Scrooge. The window of opportunity we have now - to see how things could be again, will close in very short order. Whether we bring our best game again like we did in the pandemic, will undeniably come down to whether or not we take deliberate steps to grab on to the constructive models and legitimate government support just witnessed.
DIVIDE cont’d from page 1
often unable to access online curricular materials and academic support resources, can’t engage in synchronous class experiences with teachers and fellow classmates, and can’t take advantage of critical mental health and social-emotional learning (SEL) supports. Despite the offers of local wireless providers to make internet service low-cost or free, as well as the efforts of local agencies such as the Sonoma County Office of Education to help families take advantage of these offers, many of our rural communities simply do not have the network coverage needed to get online.
Digging below the surface in these and other districts reveals
 How can we continue these positive trends for our climate?
Is a declaration of emergency needed to stop emissions that are exposing us to enormous climatic changes? When properly implemented, could we survive such a declaration? The answer is yes. We can and will deliver. We can survive and thrive. How?
another troubling reality: low-socio economic status students and English Learners are hit hardest by this issue. One in three households that make below $30,000 a year lacks internet service, and a 2019 study by the U.S. Department of Education revealed that 78% of English Learners lack home access to the internet.
Just Unleash it — Pent Up Problem Solving Energy
While the current situation has clearly underscored the need for K-12 students to have access, there is also a huge need for families with young children (0-5) and providers that work with young children as they try to ensure continuity of support & engagement with isolated & stressed families.
I sense and see pent up creativity, out-side-the-box thinking, and optimism for the future. Why not? We now know how to flatten the curve.
Let’s start by acting on some concrete ideas as to how we can institutionalize what we have just learned - about flattening the curve to address the steeply rising green house gas curve. I know there must be many good ideas, and I share a few of mine below:
Sonoma County has an opportunity, perhaps even a moral obligation, to tackle this long-standing issue by leveraging public-private partnerships and the newly-granted flexibility to repurpose existing funds for technology infrastructure to close this digital divide and make reliable internet access a reality for all students and families.
An offering legislation to phase out nonessential commutes of say 25 miles or more. That simple, rational act, given the incredible adaptability of workers and companies and given the advances in telecommuting with which we have quickly become familiar, is low hanging fruit. Zooming is pretty fun and these experiences will only improve.
Here are just a few examples of how many students have little or no access to internet connectivity in Sonoma County:
Bellevue Union School District (Santa Rosa) - Approximately 400 students (25% of total student population) have no internet access.
Horicon School District (Annapolis) - Roughly 2/3 (45) of Horicon students have no internet access. In addition,three teachers have no internet
access. Those who have internet access have very limited data and cannot reasonably access most online platforms at this time.
Montgomery Elementary School District (Cazadero) - The majority of students AND teachers don’t have much, if any, internet access.
Two Rock Union School District (Petaluma) - 42 students (25% of the school population) lack internet access. ALL students who lack internet access are Spanish speakers.
West Sonoma County Union High School District (Sebastopol) - 75 students without internet access
Windsor Unified School District (Windsor) - 125 students without internet, 750 with too slow to stream video content (over 1000 kids not yet reporting)
Below is the contact information for three of the superintendents of the districts mentioned above. All of them are open to being contacted to further share how this issue is impacting students and families in their districts.
Just say “no” to monies earmarked to prop up fossil fuel interests. Clean modes of transportation deserve and could greatly benefit from a financial boost.
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Making Lemonade Out of Lemons
The tragic effects of a virus that crosses political, socioeconomic and geographic boundaries make more obvious - to those who might have once thought themselves invincible, the personal and societal threats of the global climate catastrophe. We now know, thankfully, that widespread threats can be met with the rapid, spirited, and cooperative commitment which is being demonstrated during this global pandemic. Similarly, saving the atmosphere that protects us, requires this same energetic focus, creative solutions, and earnest commitment. Let’s move forward based upon the recent lessons learned and keep the momentum going. Creative and life saving climate solutions, will require substantial support as did treating the sick and protecting the country from COVID-19. To win the struggle to reverse the damage done by enormous emissions of green house gases, rapid and temporary commitment of local, state, and federal funds will be necessary and be totally worth it. And again, there is not time to waste.
Like with the virus, no time to waste.
Aggressively fund retraining of those out of work, or those seeking ethical work - like fossil fuel tradespeople. Jobs in solar and wind energy, pollution control technology, restoration, regenerative farming, manufacturing of clean running trains, are all areas needing skilled, hardworking people who desire to have stability and to go to work for a healthy future for their children.
Reduce deforestation by adequately funding land banks (aka conservation easements), parks, wilderness areas, wildlife corridors, healthy watersheds which provide water and temperature mitigation which we need now and well into the future.
Saving our all important atmosphere may seem unimaginable to some, however we could look back in a year and say, we did come together and removed another gigantic threat to us and our children.
Toni Beal, Superintendent
As a recent CalMatters.org article stated, “It’s impossible now to argue that connectivity is a 21st-century luxury. Millions of Californians require internet access to attend school, work, and stay in touch with loved ones.”
Jeff McFarland, Superintendent/Principal
Horicon School District
jmcfarland@horiconsd.org, (707) 888-0722
Betha MacClain, Superintendent/Principal
Two Rock Union School District
bmacclain@trusd.org, (707) 762-6617,
West Sonoma County Union High School District
tbeal.do@wscuhsd.k12.ca.us, (707) 824-6412
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