As if our country wasn’t divided enough, we now have important questions splitting our local community every day.

Should we send kids back to school as the president has firmly advocated? Is distance learning a valid replacement for classroom teaching?
Should we find private schools that have found ways to do in-person teaching? Should we home school, or form pods and hire teachers to teach kids in small, safe groups?

What can we do to keep the education fair and available for everyone? Are only families with enough money for private schools going to be able to get their kids a good education?

Should we be wearing masks? (That’s actually become a debate.)
Should we spend $1 million to rename Cabrillo College and erase the legacy of a discoverer who enslaved indigenous peoples or spend the money on education?
Should we build a railroad line from Watsonville to Santa Cruz or make it a bike and walking path?

Growing Up tries to address many of these issues and give you information to make your own decisions. What we’d like for our September issue is to run extensive letters with your opinions on these questions.

This is your chance to let our community of parents and families know what you think we should do. Your voice and knowledge have never been more important or needed. Drop a line to [email protected]

Our current Back to School issue has been a tough one in this time when nothing is normal. We’ve got some articles suggesting answers and alternatives.
In Behind the Teacher’s Desk Ann Goewert, the new principal of Mount Madonna School, suggests outdoor teaching is a way to fight the spread of the virus. Maybe that’s something more schools would like to try.
John Koenig has a great story about a writing project that has kids producing books and even novels. It’s really giving kids an important talent and helping them reach the boundaries of imagination.

Kari Byron is world-famous for her role in TV’s MythBusters, but she’s also a concerned mom who has had to juggle career and family. We are going to have a Facebook Live discussion with her where you will be able to ask her questions? More on that coming up in our newsletter, website, and Facebook page.

Writer Suki Wessling has an important story suggesting ways to homeschool at a time when most kids are stuck at home. She has another one that helps you weigh your options for where you should school your children this fall.

Like you, we at GUISC are swimming upstream trying to keep our business alive and provide you with local information and resources to help get through the COVID crisis and every other tough decision parents have to make.

We thank all of you who have helped out, advertising, writing, donating, and keeping the online dialogues going.

We really are in this together. Thanks for your part.
Brad Kava, Jennifer Ford
and Steve Dinnen