As the Hurricane Harvey floodwaters of Southeastern Texas slowly begin to recede, the entire state of Florida has begun preparing itself for the impact of Hurricane Irma—believed to be one of the most devastating natural disasters in history. Both Harvey and Irma have been recorded as the first time two Category 4 hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S. during the same year.
The physical and emotional destruction left behind by these storms is sure to be great. An estimated 32,000 people have been displaced by Harvey, and over six million Floridians have been evacuated in anticipation of Irma. Food and water resources have been largely depleted, and gas has run out across several stations throughout the state. Reports that between 30-40,000 homes have been destroyed, meaning that countless families have lost essentially everything but themselves.
One demographic that will certainly see disruption is that of students. From elementary school to university, young people of every age are having their educations completely halted due to these climate disasters. The Texas Education Agency, which oversees the education of 5.3 million public school students, has said that, “Roughly 20 percent of our student population has been affected by Harvey,” with 200 of the state’s 1,200 school districts having had some type of closure over the course of the storm. Miami students unable to leave their universities have been moved to shelters as classes across both states have been cancelled, many without return dates in site. Furthermore, hazardous chemical zones and electrical failures have made it incredibly dangerous and nearly impossibly for some regions to even begin offering classes once again.
It’s not clear when many of these schools will reopen their doors. While online technology is useful, it is no comparison to the face-to-face instruction students need from their teachers. Most hauntingly, the echoes of education devastation from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 are ringing clear as we move into the aftermath of Harvey and Irma. The Atlantic’s article on “The Lost Children of Katrina” details the ways in which mass displacement affected then—and continues to affect now—the students who lost all semblance of their education track due to that storm. It is of the utmost importance that the education of these students is taken seriously if these mistakes are not to be repeated. State and federal governments must take on this responsibility if they wish to see their students continue on, or else a severe education crisis will be on their hands. It is equally as important that donations being made to help relief efforts are kept in mind for schools and students seeking supplies and other forms of support. While the storm itself may last hours to days, the real devastation sets in when we allow our most vulnerable and intellectually curious young people to flounder.