Mismanaged Pandemic is a Setback to American Children

Summary

The article draws a parallel between the educational struggles of American children during the Covid-19 pandemic and those faced by Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, due to systemic poverty and discrimination in early 20th century India.

Abstract

The piece reflects on the stark reality of American schoolchildren from impoverished backgrounds resorting to using public Wi-Fi at places like Walmart to complete their homework during the pandemic. It draws a historical parallel with Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, who, despite being from the marginalized "Dalit" community in India, overcame immense poverty and societal barriers to achieve scholarly success. The article underscores the irony that children in a prosperous nation like the United States are facing educational hurdles akin to those of a disadvantaged individual in a historically poor and caste-ridden society. It questions the ability of these children to recover from the pandemic's impact on their education and the potential long-term effects on socioeconomic equality in the US.

Opinions

The author finds it shocking that children in the US, one of the wealthiest countries, are experiencing educational setbacks comparable to those of a poor Dalit child in early 20th century India.
The article suggests that the pandemic has exposed and exacerbated existing inequalities in the American education system, disproportionately affecting children from lower-income families.
There is a concern that the educational gaps created by the pandemic will lead to a widening income gap and irreversible disadvantages for children from less affluent homes.
The author sees Dr. Ambedkar's story as a beacon of hope, proving that greatness can emerge from adverse circumstances, even without the benefits of modern technology like the internet.
The article implies that while individual determination and love for learning are powerful, as exemplified by Ambedkar, systemic support is crucial to address the educational disparities magnified by the pandemic.

A shocking parallel from Indian history

Reading about the impact of Covid19 lockdowns on school children in the US a few days back, I couldn’t shake off an image the article showed — elementary school kids huddled up outside the local Walmart with their tablets so that they would be able to use the free wi-fi to do homework.

Reality check, online schooling! These kids belong to households too poor to have access to even affordable internet.

I could not help but think of parallels with a story I read in middle school. Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar who became the architect of the Constitution of India, the longest written national constitution in the world, belonged to a marginalised community called the Dalits or “untouchables”. His family, just like others in his community, was poor, illiterate and restricted to doing menial jobs according to an archaic caste system that plagued the Indian society. The situation was so dismal that the average Indian would not tolerate even the touch of a Dalit, hence the name “untouchables”.

He was a brilliant student with a deep love of learning, which led him to be called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn and earn four doctorate degrees from well-known English, American and Indian universities. He burnt the proverbial midnight oil to study for his bar exam. However, his family could neither afford oil for burning, nor did they have any access to electricity at home. So, young Ambedkar sat under a public street lamp every single night to study.

Children living in one of the wealthiest countries are facing the same poverty and lack of opportunity as a young student from the lowest rungs of society in early 20th century India. Is there nothing shocking about this?

There is both good news and bad news for America in this metaphor. The bad news is that America’s mismanagement of the pandemic has brought children whose families fall in the poorer class to the same level as that of a poor, marginalised Dalit from early 20th century India. It is important to note that in the early 20th century, India was at her absolute worst, economically. On the contrary, America is an economic superpower.

Can kids from poorer families ever resurface, economically?

The good news is that Dr. Ambedkar lived in the pre-internet era. Knowledge didn’t come to his fingertips. He had to scour the library for books to study. And yet, he became one of the finest barristers and thinkers of his time. He went on to not only design the Constitution of India but also to demolish the caste system and to implement affirmative action for the Dalits in India.

Uncommon greatness can emerge from the depths of the abyss.

The living fear of many educators, policymakers and the everyday American is that the losses in opportunity and educational outcomes that Covid19 lockdowns have caused will permanently erode any progress made towards a more equal society. It will put children from America’s lower-income homes at an irreversible disadvantage.

This large gap in their formative schooling years will widen the already gaping chasm between incomes in the US.

Will sheer will-power and love of learning like that of Ambedkar, be sufficient to triumph over their severe, even insurmountable disadvantages?