Headmaster Gavin Newsom has expelled millions of kids from school, and it sums up everything that’s gone haywire with COVID in California.

1. One-Man Rule: The Governor dissolved the core institution in our society with the stroke of a pen. No one voted on it. There was no public input, testimony, or debate. The edict was barely explained or justified.

2. One Size Fits All: Many districts and schools have made careful plans, in consultation with parents and health experts, to offer in-classroom and home-based learning options. The Governor laid these plans to waste.

3. Special Interest Control: Just five days ago, Gov. Newsom affirmed the right of local school districts to make their own reopening decisions. Then his largest campaign contributor had a word with him and he did a complete 180.

4. Ignorance of Data: Ironclad evidence shows closing schools will cause kids untold trauma and loss, while growing evidence suggests it won’t even slow spread of the virus. But science took a backseat to politics.

5. Failure to Balance Risks: We don’t know if one California child will tragically lose their life to COVID-19. But forced isolation puts many kids “at considerable risk of morbidity and, in some cases, mortality” (American Academy of Pediatrics). Why do their lives count for less?

In this era of unimaginable hardship, we’ve seen the best in our community – grit, solidarity, heroic sacrifice – and we’ve seen the absolute worst in our government.

*See here for results of my survey on the school closure order.