An Unknown Landscape

As the days go by it becomes clearer that what the future holds – for a variety of things – is totally unknown.

Yesterday, a stack of comment cards greeted members of the Glendale Unified School District that held two town hall meetings to gather information from parents and other stakeholders regarding the implementation of protocols for teaching students in the fall. The new school semester is supposed to start on Aug. 19 but what that looks like is still up in the air. Should students be allowed on campus? Or only remotely taught? What about at-risk children and special needs kids?

Listening to the morning meeting (that continued into the afternoon), I was struck not only by the diversity of opinion that was offered but also by the passion in which these opinions were delivered. Some of the comments drew upon false information (which CV Weekly has written about and warned about repeatedly) but most were well-informed and well-articulated. Like many I am concerned for those parents who need to return to work in order to support their homes and families; I am equally worried for those parents who have to decide whether or not to let their children return to school campuses if indeed they reopen in August.

There is no easy answer for District officials nor for parents; I am thankful I don’t have children in school during these challenging times.

The stress that everyone is experiencing is manifesting itself in many different ways. Parents, stakeholders and District officials are grappling with problems that have no easy answers and others are letting off steam in their own way. Independence Day was one example.

Days – maybe weeks – before the holiday our foothills resounded with what sounded like explosions. Fireworks seem too tame a word for the bombs that seemed to go off every night, sending frightened pets to bathtubs and closets looking for relief, not to mention those suffering from PTSD. I know in past years we’ve heard pre-holiday fireworks go off, but this year was beyond belief. And with the fireworks come fears of fire, especially in our local forest.

Hopefully things will quiet down – literally and figuratively.

  robin goldsworthy