Some parents in Massachusetts told the Boston Globe they were reported to the state’s Department of Children and Families for neglect when their children were absent from remote learning sessions too often in the spring, when they were scrambling to adjust to the new realities of COVID-19
When schools around the country closed in March and April, parents were forced to figure out a way to facilitate and assist with online learning for their children while working or taking care of other responsibilities. The schools, in many cases, failed to provide a well-coordinated learning plan for the lockdowns.
Still, dozens of parents interviewed by the Globe say schools reported them for potential neglect because of absences, without regard for the obvious difficulties of the situation. From the Globe:
Massachusetts school officials have reported dozens of families to state social workers for possible neglect charges because of issues related to their children’s participation in remote learning classes during the pandemic shutdown in the spring, according to interviews with parents, advocates, and reviews of documents.
In most cases, lawyers and family advocates said, the referrals were made solely because students failed to log into class repeatedly. Most of the parents reported were mothers, and several did not have any previous involvement with social services. – READ MORE
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