2: Supporting Latino Students and Their Families Through the Impacts of COVID-19

Malcolm X once stated, “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” While reflecting on the impact that COVID-19 had on African American and Latino students throughout the country, I’ve come to question whether students from underrepresented backgrounds possess “passports” that are of equal value to other students or if they even own “passports” in the first place. The COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted students of disadvantaged backgrounds, causing them to fall behind in mathematics, reading, and overall academic growth. However, the impact of the crisis was not just limited to academics. The mental health and overall well-being of students were severely impacted as well. Mandated social distancing policies, the transition to remote learning, and the impact of pandemic-related traumatic events adversely affected students’ mental health, leading to increased feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression. The disruption of routines and lack of access to support systems, such as teachers, counselors, and peers, may have also negatively impacted mental health and well-being. Though inequalities existed long before COVID-19, the pandemic greatly amplified already existing achievement gaps among low-income, vulnerable, and disadvantaged students.