COVID-19: The Inequality Expander

A Child Sits at a desk working online from a phone with a parent on standby waiting to help. Sourced from the Brookings Institute. (Brookings Institute)

Throughout the last few years, we have seen the largest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich. We have spent an increasing amount of money on getting items that we need from Amazon, as well as big name companies like Wal-Mart and the Kroger family of businesses (there are a lot of them). When it comes to education, however, we have seen a massive transfer of the lack of information from those who attend public schools to the much more technologically advanced private school system. Meanwhile, schools have seen a largely inadequate increase in funds allocated as part of a covid response program. (McGahey 2020).

Three Children Work on an Art assignment during the COVID pandemic. Sourced from a Chicago Tribune Article (Chicago Tribune)

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light some of the systemic inequalities that exist within societies around the world. One of the most significant issues that have arisen is the widening wealth gap, which has seen the poor becoming poorer while the rich have gotten richer. A report by Oxfam International, released in January 2021, revealed that the wealth of the world's billionaires increased by $3.9 trillion between March and December 2020, while the world's poorest people faced the worst economic fallout in generations (Oxfam International 2021).

One of the reasons for this wealth transfer is the increased reliance on large corporations, such as Amazon, Wal-Mart, and Kroger, for basic necessities during the pandemic. As more people have turned to online shopping and home delivery services, these companies have experienced significant growth in sales and profits. However, many of their workers are low-paid and have been put at risk of contracting the virus due to inadequate safety measures (Greenhouse 2021).

A Political Cartoon by Signe Wilkinson showing the differences between the two different ways in which children in Private and Public Education differ in resources. Sourced from Signe Wilkinson (Signetoons.com)

In terms of education, the pandemic has highlighted the significant disparities that exist between public and private schools. Private schools have been better equipped to provide online learning opportunities for their students, as they have had access to the necessary technology and resources. Meanwhile, many public schools have struggled to provide students with adequate technology and internet access, leading to a "digital divide" that has disproportionately affected students from low-income families (National Education Association 2021).

Furthermore, the pandemic has exposed the inadequacies of the U.S. education system's funding model. The federal government allocated $13.2 billion in funding for K-12 schools as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in 2020. However, this amount was widely criticized as being insufficient to address the scale of the crisis faced by schools (National Education Association 2021).

In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the wealth gap and highlighted significant disparities in access to education. Large corporations have benefited from increased consumer reliance on their services, while workers and the poor have been left behind. Meanwhile, the pandemic has exposed the inadequacies of the U.S. education system's funding model and the disparities that exist between public and private schools.