Shelby Review

Sen. Peter Lucido (R-Shelby Township) voted in favor of legislation that would allow schools to have flexibility in making decisions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which would let them choose between virtual learning, in-person learning or a hybrid method.

This legislation, signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, not only gives schools flexibility but the finances to support the decisions they make based on last year's pupil count, Lucido wrote in a Facebook post, which was also published in Macomb Daily. 

"In most cases, many of our students will begin their new school year at home, learning through the computer," Lucido said in his column. "Providing students with a safe, quality education is one of the most important things we can do, and that is best achieved when local education leaders are empowered to make learning decisions that best serve their communities. But while this increased flexibility is necessary today because of COVID-19, at what cost to our families is all of this coming?"

Sen. Peter Lucido | #MiSenateGOP

Many families will have to make difficult decisions as schools start back up, especially those with students enrolled in schools that have opted for virtual learning. If young children will be learning at home, they will need a parent home with them, but many families can't afford to have parents quit their jobs to stay at home with the kids. 

"Perhaps the most immediate impact will be figuring out how to cover the cost of utilities and other monthly bills, like mortgages, insurance and credit cards. Though that is tough enough on its own, the long-term consequences are perhaps even more daunting," Lucido wrote in his op-ed.

Decisions like these won't just affect families with school-aged children. If many parents choose to leave the workforce to stay home with their kids, it could have an effect on the economy as well. It could cause businesses to shrink, markets to close and revenues to drop. 

"This is an unprecedented period in our lifetimes. In many ways, we are all flying blind, trying to figure how best to adapt our lives to COVID-19 without ruining everything in the wake of those decisions. I worry we may be winning the battle but losing the war," Lucido concluded his Macomb Daily column.