When Gov. Mike DeWine announced Ohioans will return to work but couldn’t say where parents would get care for their kids with schools closed, he made family prosperity an afterthought (“Reopening plan will stumble without a day care solution for working parents,” editorial, April 22). It should be his first thought.

Children and their families’ destinies are tied together: One cannot thrive while the other struggles. These parents are working jobs that often demand last-minute scheduling and don’t offer paid leave. These factors exponentially increase the challenges many families needlessly face, which is especially true for families of color and those with low incomes.

Families shouldn’t have to “figure it out” when most child care locations are closed. It’s a false choice for parents to opt between their children’s health and their ability to put food on the table. Parents need care options that allow them to work and go to school. Such options should be available for all parents, in all neighborhoods, at all times.

To jumpstart Ohio’s economy and hang an open sign on the state, Gov. DeWine should adopt solutions he can use today, and recognize families of color, who represent nearly 40% of the country’s front-line workers. A strong recovery requires answers, not evasions. Ohio can and should help lead the way.

Anne Mosle,

Washington, D.C.

Anne Mosle is executive director of Ascend at the Aspen Institute.