Family Bail-Out
Families are facing child care challenges. I believe we can support families with a childcare stipend that can be used in any of the following ways:
- one parent could use the stipend to stay home and care for their children
- parents and/or family members could share the stipend and share childcare responsibilities
- the stipend could be used to hire outside help (stipends would have to be prorated depending on childcare costs in varying geographic locations or even better, just give everyone top dollar--the money will be a good investment in our countries future)
- use the money for emergency childcare centers. Some centers will need to be open for special types of cases
National Remote Learning and Teaching
Shift all schools in the country to remote teaching and learning with similar broad protocols and expectations based on existing national standards and protocols. This national shift will help to curb the spread of the pandemic virus and continue to well-educate America's children while making the entire population more tech-savvy which will be positive for the long run.
Funding?
Since corporate America is the most worried about child care and workers, let them pay a new tax to support this. Also tax the ultra-rich more since they've actually made money during the pandemic. If we could bail-out wealthy banks, we can bail out America's families.
Why this is a good plan?
- A country's success depends on strong, loving families and a well educated population
- A well educated populace spells greater peace and prosperity
- Quality, equitable education and well supported families can help us to deconstruct oppressive systems of racism
- Creating a tech-savvy population will help us to prepare for a stronger future
- More families at home will give people the time to alter habits and lifestyles in ways that are more Earth-friendly which will help us all to work towards greater sustainability. For example, there will be more time to grow your own food, get your finances in order, cook in healthy ways, and care for family members in loving, patient, and kind ways
- We will curb the spread of this virus, mitigate illness and death, and provide a needed pathway to a vaccine and return to a new normalcy--one that does not replicate the inhuman rat race we left.
- We won't waste a lot of money on measures that take us nowhere. For example we won't have to rent desks, buy lots of PPE, and spend undue time on poor plans and education that lacks quality. Instead we can focus on long lasting goals of boosting the American family and giving all students across the nation the chance to learn how to be lifelong learners using the great technological tools that exist. We can also boost communities since we can task communities with seeking ways to promote safe social opportunities via healthy recreation, small safe family cohorts, and other creative ways to bring people together.
The pandemic doesn't mean we can't move forward or find win-win solutions. This is a positive solution to the problems we face during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
