Recession's Costs Go Beyond The Balance Sheet
Portland, OR April 15, 2009 5:36 a.m.
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downloadThe recession is leaving its mark on many people in different ways. As a teacher, commentator Bob Balmer sees first hand how this difficult economic downturn is affecting the next generation.
Recently the father of a student of mine was laid off from his job. It was a job the boy's father had worked at for over a decade. And it was a good paying job.
When the student told me the story, he choked up. He was worried about his father, and he was worried about himself.
It's a sad tale, but with the recession in full bloom, it is not a tale that's as unusual as it once might have been.
There may be other losses for this boy as a consequence of the recession. Diminishing school budgets will require deep cuts. One of the effects of those cuts will be larger class sizes.
This means more students for teachers to get to know and more assignments for teachers to grade. It also makes it more difficult to discern which students need an academic push and which students need an empathic ear, a need exacerbated by the recession.
It's the difference between knowing whether to cut a student some slack, or to give him consequences for slacking. It's the recession’s X factor in education. And it will affect some students’ academic performances.
Then there are those students who have selected their colleges. The students who were eager to attend an affordable four-year institution.
Suddenly some of them are scrambling. Maybe they can no longer afford the school of their choice. Perhaps it is too late to fill out financial aid forms that fit their family's current economic status.
And some students will need to find a job to attend college. The stress coupled with the disappointment of trading the school of their dreams for the school of their means will interfere with students' school work.
It's just more pressure at the intersection of adolescence and academics.
There is no doubt the recession will continue to affect students. It will continue to unravel the fabric of life for many families, too.
Just ask the student whose father lost his job. He's got plenty on his mind. In addition to being worried about his family's financial situation, he's worried that his father may take a job elsewhere.
Perhaps he will receive no daily guidance from dad – it's a difficult situation. It's one of the recession's costs that does not show up on a balance sheet.
© 2009 OPB
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