Looking for leadership in a time of crisis

The COVID-19 crisis has officially entered its third year, and the education sector is battle weary. In Washington, D.C., and beyond, Americans are tired of everything education. So much so that, at this point, the list of grievances is too long to detail. The Washington Post is my hometown newspaper, and I can’t recall another time when education stories were so prevalent. Between local school system dramas and national issues, such as mask mandates and teacher strikes, the view from Washington is remarkably like the rest of America.

We would all like to believe that in our darkest hours, someone or something will provide us with just enough light to find our way. Unfortunately, that light remains faint for most communities struggling with the challenges of COVID-19. National leaders, such as Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, have tried to keep the narrative warm and sympathetic but positive. After all, in a highly federalized system, the education secretary can always rely on empathy — that’s the one thing politics usually can’t screw up (a lesson that was clearly lost on Betsy DeVos). But if anyone is waiting for a strong, visionary U.S. Department of Education to take control of things and lead the way, they will likely wait in vain. At the height of the omicron surge in early January, when communities across the country were engaged in pitched battles over in-person learning, mask mandates, and learning loss, Cardona was interviewed on National Public Radio about the chaos and confusion in the nation’s schools (Chang, 2022). Cardona tried valiantly, but all he could really offer was a few examples of states that he felt were managing the situation well. He clearly understands that his role in all this is and must remain limited. One instance of federal overstep in this climate could be disastrous for him, the administration, and public schools.

In the secretary’s defense, it’s hard to imagine a visionary federal role in education while COVID is still sucking the air out of everything. Yes, Washington has managed to get a few things done. For one thing, Congress has allocated money: billions of dollars to help states and school districts deal with the impact of the pandemic. For another, the Department of Education has provided guidance on creating and maintaining safe school environments. But a legitimate recovery plan or road map for the future of education has yet to emerge from the administration.