There’s a question that rattles around my brain pan and the possible answers to it disappoint me.
How many is too many? What’s an acceptable mortality rate?
I was reminded this morning that I’m old enough to remember a time when the whole nation watched in trembling fear and hope as a group of workers struggled to save one little girl who had fallen down a well.
We are no longer that nation. Oh, we could probably muster enough empathy for a brief prayer but the actions many are taking today, right now, demonstrate that anything beyond that is hypocritical or wishful thinking.
There is a very large portion of our citizenry who just don’t care about anyone but themselves and maybe their own kids. They can’t bear minor inconveniences, even if that inconvenience could save a life.
“Don’t you dare force my kid to wear a mask at school,” they say, though some often use stronger language.
These people astroturf our school board meetings using words put in their mouths by agenda-driven groups and spread misinformation (I’ll be generous, here) and over-the-top threats should any trustee have the audacity to suggest anything more stringent than strong suggestions.
Their verbal assaults have stayed the hands of trustees across the state who want to do the right thing but lack the votes to actually do anything substantive to slow the spread of the virus through our schools.
If you think I’m guilty of hyperbole, tune in to Thursday’s meeting of the LISD school board. I’ve watched the last few meetings. It’s embarrassing.
Right now, Leander ISD leads the Central Texas region with more than 1,000 positive tests for the virus, far ahead of Round Rock’s 650. Right now, Leander ISD has 27 classes or entire grade levels on “remote conferencing” because too many of the children in those classes have been exposed to the virus.
Last week, Connely ISD closed down after two teachers died of COVID-19 infections and Austin Public Health reported the first child death from the virus.
What will it take for folks — especially those who are in charge of our kid’s safety — to take stronger action?
The death of a teacher (that actually happened last year, as I recall)? The death of a Kindergartner? Would that be enough?
Three deaths? Five?
What number of child COVID deaths is acceptable for school leaders and trustees to ignore the loud and obnoxious astro-turfing parents and Gov. Abbott’s toothless dictates and implement a no-opt-out mask mandate on our public school campuses?
Because, at the rate we’re going, every unvaccinated child in our public schools will have the opportunity to recover from this disease. Or not.
There’s a cynic in my brain that says that 20 child and seven teacher deaths aren’t enough to change some people’s minds. That’s how many elementary school kids and teachers were murdered at Sandy Hook. It didn’t change very many minds about unfettered access to guns.
A few deaths among Leander students probably won’t change very many minds about masks, either.
Like I said, I’m exhausted. And very disappointed.
The Ragged Edge 