#CoveringCOVID19, a daily update featuring coverage, resources, and ideas to help education journalists cover the massive impact of the coronavirus crisis on schools.
HATS OFF TO THE LA TIMES
It’s hard not to notice what standout work the LA Times has been producing on the COVID-19 crisis in recent days. The education team’s notable output includes last week’s story about the “AWOL” students who hadn’t been reached by the district since it started remote learning — a story several outlets have followed in their own coverage areas, which the LAT continues to bird-dog today. Then over the weekend, the team — featuring Howard Blume and Sonali Kohli — put out an excellent overview of the current remote learning rollout featuring lots of student voices, making clear in a very visual and personal way what the obstacles are. There’s also the story about the AP teacher searching far and wide to reconnect with her students. And on Thursday, the paper’s editorial board weighed in with a strong piece about the dangers of the school system shutdown exacerbating inequalities in the system. In terms of quality and quantity, I can’t help but be impressed.
THE TOP FIVE
Here are five great education stories about how schools are responding to the COVID-19 crisis:
🏫 Many Broward students couldn’t log into online learning – South Florida Sun-Sentinel
🏫 Atlanta Public Schools’ vulnerable students will face brunt of coronavirus closures. – Atlanta Journal Constitution
🏫 As coronavirus closes schools, wealthier districts send laptops home with students. What about poorer districts? – Philadelphia Inquirer
🏫 As School Moves Online, Many Students Stay Logged Out – New York Times
🏫 College Made Them Feel Equal. The Virus Exposed How Unequal Their Lives Are. – New York Times
ICYMI, here’s the latest newsletter, featuring the week’s best education stories and more.
GLOBE ANNOUNCES NEW COVID SERIES
😷 Workplace flexibility is key while reporters are working remotely and juggling family responsibilities, notes this new piece from The Grade by Mary Jo DiLonardo, featuring insights from Rupen Fofaria (EdNC), Sarah Garland (Hechinger Report), Jennifer Bramble (Chalkbeat) and Stephanie Chavez (LA Times). Thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts!
😷 The Boston Globe’s education team has announced a new series, Education Interrupted, which “looks at how school closures in the wake of the coronavirus crisis are affecting individual students.” Read the first in the series, from Bianca Toness: Online, but off-kilter: A day in the life of a Boston sixth-grader. No word yet on whether the new series is a complement to The Great Divide or a replacement.
😷 How dead is the once-vibrant Atlantic education page? During a massive event in American education, the last story posted by a staff writer is from three weeks ago. A new installment in Kristina Rizga’s Teacher Series has been posted. Be sure to check it out. But a feature about an Inupiaq teacher may not be what readers most want or need while the nation is gripped by an education crisis.
😷 Help a reporter out? Chalkbeat’s Alex Zimmerman wants to know how schools and families are handling the Zoom ban in NYC. EdWeek’s Evie Blad asked for “funny, quirky, or inspiring” experiences. The Atlantic’s Amanda Ripley wants to know “What do you need and want from the news media right now that you are not getting?”
😷 Can My Son Get More Worksheets Before the World Ends? via McSweeney’s Internet Tendency
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexander Russo
Alexander Russo is founder and editor of The Grade, an award-winning effort to help improve media coverage of education issues. He’s also a Spencer Education Journalism Fellowship winner and a book author. You can reach him at @alexanderrusso.
Visit their website at: https://the-grade.org/
