There are a number of people who dislike the Affordable Health Care Act, which has been dubbed “Obamacare.” However through the lens of an educator, Obamacare may be beneficial to public education.
Obamacare has the potential to address many of the social ills that affect academic attainment and school climate. If everyone is mandated to have healthcare, the potential to have healthier children in school would greatly impact the classroom.
Imagine, if schools did not have to focus on uncovering vision, hearing, and behavioral health deficits because children came to school with glasses, hearing aids and under the supervision of a physician or psychiatrist? A true partnership could be built where school, parents and physicians work together to support children.
Imagine attendance in schools improving because fewer children are out sick. Imagine instructional time be used more effectively when children come to school fed with enough sleep and energy to be engaged? Without these distractions, children would be able to focus on academics. The ability to focus on academics should translate to increase tests scores and increase content knowledge.
Finally, Obamacare could be beneficial to schools in addressing teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease and AIDS. Imagine young adults being able to learn the various forms of prevention from a physician who can inform them of symptoms and provide medication. Being under the care of a physician for a pregnancy, STD or AIDS could alleviate the pressure and anxiety and allow the young adult to focus on their education.
If Obamacare can address just some of the social ills that affect academic and school climate, schools and children will be the biggest beneficiaries of a controversial law.
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