I’ve been taking a break from education news for, well, obvious reasons. So lately in CPF Insider, instead I’ve been trying to highlight some of the great things that people are doing in the face of this pandemic. We have to focus on those things because every day it seems like the news can’t get any worse, except then it does.

The president lies without ceasing and threatens states that don’t show the proper obeisance to him. Many states still have made no good plans for what happens when the pandemic comes to them. An infant right here in Illinois died today of COVID-19–a so far unprecedented occurrence.

I know that we will need to talk about and lobby for good public education policy again–perhaps soon. But not today. Today we’re anxious, in mourning, and hardly know what day it is. It helps adjust my priorities–which can be too driven by my own neurosis and phobia–that there are folks right here in my neighborhood that have far greater needs than my own, and I’ve been sharing about those needs in the newsletter as well.

And I’m sharing this newsletter here so that you can decide whether and how you want to help too. For those Chicago Public Fools subscribers that have already received this edition of CPF Insider, apologies for the repetition. I think the causes I’m highlighting in this newsletter are important enough to share a little more broadly.

Thanks ever so much for reading, for caring about our schools, and for doing all you can for your neighbors at this time. Click on the link below to read this edition of CPF Insider, and follow me on twitter @JulieVassilatos.

https://cpfinsider.substack.com/p/bright-lights-bleak-country