If politicians gave a shit about children, the schools would feature:

• HVAC systems that cleaned viruses out of the air
• at least two child psychologists on staff
• age-appropriate lessons to help children identify abuse
• funding for well-paid staff in numbers sufficient for a buddy system to reduce the chances of abuse
• arts education and after-school clubs to provide third spaces for kids
• massive, safe playgrounds
• protected biking and walking infrastructure from the school to residential neighborhoods

Instead we get “parents’ rights”, funding cuts, book bans, and car-centric infrastructure that kills pedestrians and bikers.

If social media is bad for kids, THEY NEED ALTERNATIVES.