Corey DeAngelis of the Reason Foundation testified before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Consumer Protection & Commerce on March 11, 2021. DeAngelis said that there have been substantial costs associated with keeping schools closed during the 2020 ‘pandemic.’ Students have lost ground academically as well as physically. The poorest have fared the worst.
Government teachers and school administrators have fought to keep all government workers fully and excessively paid despite not working or working much less. Every teacher received stimulus checks, despite also never missing a single paycheck. Teacher unions have lobbied to force private schools and charter schools closed as well.
According to DeAngelis, the average poor student is now more than a year behind in his education because of the government lockdowns and restrictions. (Upper class students have fared much better.) Racial and ethnic gaps in learning have widened.
DeAngelis provided studies indicating that the average K-12 student in the US could lose $61,000 to $82,000 in lifetime earnings due to this loss of education. There have also been horrific impacts upon the economic security of parents and households.
