Can the ever-increasing diverse United States of America survive a pandemic? The contagion from Wuhan (coronavirus) will be a case study helping to showcase once and for all if diversity is our strength.

Let’s start in Seattle (located in Washington, where 19 of the 22 US deaths from Wuhan Virus have occurred).

Shot.

As schools around the region make tough calls on coronavirus, Seattle Public Schools announce they will remain open, Seattle Times, March 6, 2020 As school districts and colleges around the region go online-only or close, Washington state’s largest school district released a statement Friday saying it won’t be doing that: Seattle Public Schools will remain open. The district’s reasoning, the announcement said, beyond listening to health officials, is making sure children receive the different services they need — in and out of the classroom. “While education is our primary responsibility, public schools are also the access point to critical social services for thousands of students and families,” district spokesman Tim Robinson wrote in the statement. “Many of our families rely on our schools and staff for basic needs, including regular meals, health care, and child care. If our schools shut down, vulnerable families are at a higher risk of being negatively impacted. Closing schools is a last resort and will be done with great care, transparency, and in partnership with Public Health.” Considerations of equity make it harder for districts that serve more diverse student bodies to shut down in-person operations. Northshore School District announced earlier this week it would be closed through March 14, and will resume classes online Monday. “Due to issues of equity and access, we cannot provide digital learning opportunities in lieu of in-classroom instruction,” the announcement said. Students who are sick will be excused, and the district is asking teachers to prepare lessons students can complete at home. It added that the district was having custodians “prioritize cleaning common and high traffic areas multiple times a day.”

So access to taxpayer funded free lunches (breakfast as well?), as well as after school programs, is more important than stopping the Wuhan Virus from spreading. Some quick data on the Seattle Public School system:

Facts and Figures 2019-20

Total enrollment (Oct. 2019): 53,627

Schools: 104

Languages/dialects: 155

Free and Reduced Price Meal Eligible Students: 28.5%

Students from Non-English Speaking Background: 20.6%

Educators: 5,809

What languages are applications for free/reduced lunches available in for those parents of children attending the Seattle Public School system?:

Paper Application Download the instructions and applications below. Complete and accurate applications are required for timely processing. Free and Reduced Price School Meal Application and Instructions for 2019-20 (English) Free and Reduced Price School Meal Application translated in:

What’s the racial breakdown of Seattle Public School system?:

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