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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 2020)
Opinion 4A Saturday, August 29, 2020 Our View Oregon must work on child care issues ow is the time to start thinking of creative ways to solve our child care crisis as we rebuild our economy that has been so damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of child care in rural Oregon has been a problem for decades. We live in a “child care desert.” And COVID-19 is making the problem worse. Much worse. It’s not just a problem for the parents of young children. It’s a problem for all of us. It’s a problem for child care providers who aren’t able to earn enough to support their own families. It’s a problem for young children, who don’t have the opportunity to socialize and learn with other children and caregivers in safe, loving and educational environments. It’s a problem for working parents, who increasingly have to juggle work and child care, especially if they have an infant, toddler or pre- schooler needing constant supervision. It’s a problem for busi- ness owners and institutions who employ working parents, especially if a parent’s work hours coincide with online school hours. It’s a problem for K-12 N want to see Oregon’s Early Learning Division helping to facilitate quality child care options for working parents at the local level. Rather than just making and enforcing child care reg- ulations, we want to see this state agency actively sup- porting the creation of new child care options. This could mean helping a group of parents form a coop- erative, taking turns caring for each other’s children. It could mean supporting businesses that want to hire a child care provider to care for employees’ children on-site. It could mean letting a city parks and recreation program set up child care in an other- wise unused recreation center. It could mean allowing a Staff photo by Dick Mason community college to use Children attend day care in May 2020 at Central Elementary School in La Grande. While certain day care unused classroom space for providers can operate during the COVID-19 crisis, child care is a pressing issue in Oregon. infant and toddler care — teachers, whose students may care, parents who would ordi- 5. Fewer children ready for with early childhood educa- kindergarten. not have an adult around to narily be working will drop tion students providing some It’s well documented that make sure they get online at out of the workforce. of the care under the supervi- children who aren’t ready for the appropriate time each day. More families dependent sion of experienced providers. kindergarten are likely to fall It’s a problem for colleges on food stamps and public We can’t revive our behind as the years go by. and universities. If students assistance. More children economy without the avail- with young children don’t living in poverty. More adults They are far more likely to ability of quality, affordable have child care options, they drop out of high school and unable to get the education, child care. And we have to be are likely to drop out or post- live in poverty as adults. training or work they need to willing to pay child care pro- In the year ahead, fulfill their dreams. pone their higher education. viders more for the crucial job assuming we get COVID-19 Fewer children getting Ultimately, it’s a problem they do — helping nurture under control and our enriching preschool experi- for our economy and society and teach the children who economy starts to reopen, we are our future. as a whole. Without child ences between birth and age Contact your public officials U.S. PRESIDENT GOVERNOR Donald Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Kate Brown 160 State Capitol 900 Court Street Salem, OR 97301-4047 503-378-4582 U.S. SENATORS REPRESENTATIVES Ron Wyden 221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5244 La Grande office: 541-962-7691 Greg Barreto, District 58 900 Court St. NE, H-38 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1458 Rep.GregBarreto@state.or.us Jeff Merkley 313 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3753 Pendleton office: 541-278-1129 Greg Smith, District 57 900 Court St. NE, H-482 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1457 Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us U.S. REPRESENTATIVE SENATOR Greg Walden 185 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6730 La Grande office: 541-624-2400 Bill Hansell, District 29 900 Court St. NE, S-423 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1729 Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us Write to us Mail: The Observer, 911 Jef- ferson Ave., La Grande 97850 Email: news@lagrandeob- server.com • The Observer welcomes let- ters to the editor. We edit letters for brevity, grammar, taste and legal reasons. We will not publish consumer complaints against businesses, personal attacks against private individuals or comments that can incite violence. We also dis- courage thank-you letters. • Letters should be no longer than 350 words and must be signed and carry the author’s name, address and phone number (for verification only). We will not publish anonymous letters. • Letter writers are limited to one letter every two weeks. • Longer community com- ment columns, such as My Voice, must be no more than 700 words. Writers must provide a recent headshot (a decent and in-focus selfie is fine) and a one-sentence biography. Like letters to the editor, col- umns must refrain from com- plaints against businesses or personal attacks against private individuals. Submissions must carry the author’s name, address and phone number. • The Observer also is looking for local monthly columnists to comment on local issues or topics that matter to northeast Oregon. • Submission does not guar- antee publication, which is at the discretion of the editor.
