Asheville Families Face Uncertain Future After Tropical Storm
Asheville, North Carolina – It seems like just yesterday when Elizabeth Steereโs family was sitting around watching The Wizard of Oz. The infamous tornado scene that lifts Dorothy into the air may have looked like a harmless movie moment, but for the Steere family, it turned into a stark reality after Tropical Storm Helene rolled through the region on September 26. What was supposed to be just a storm transformed into a significant disaster, causing destruction throughout the area, including the schools that serve as pillars of the community.
Tropical Storm Helene’s Impact
Helene took a toll on western North Carolina, killing numerous residents and causing chaos. It didnโt stop there; roads were torn apart, power lines crumpled, and water supplies became contaminated. Fast forward nearly a month later, and itโs not just the physical damages that linger โ nearly 76,000 students are still out of school, and families are struggling to adjust to this new, disrupted reality.
โI never thought weโd face this level of disruption because of the weather,โ expressed Ashley Mosley, who temporarily relocated to her motherโs home in Mississippi with her two children. She described Asheville as a haven for those looking to escape hurricane and wildfire dangers; now that safety seems like a distant memory.
The Strain on Education
The school closures stem largely from complications like unsafe drinking water and the need for extensive road repairs. Plans are in motion for schools to reopen on October 28, but many families are already feeling the pressure of loss regarding normalcy and routine.
A report from UNICEF indicates that globally, climate-related disasters disrupt education for about 40 million children every year, a number thatโs expected to grow as severe weather becomes more common. Regions like California, Nevada, and Oregon have also recently faced closures due to wildfires, and Hurricane Milton caused additional school shutdowns in Florida.
Tellingly, the impact of these disasters doesn’t fall evenly across neighborhoods. Vulnerable populations are feeling the pinch harder. A 2022 federal report pointed out that these disasters spawn significant emotional struggles for children, including instability at home, food insecurity, and a detached social environment.
Economic Disparities in Education
In Asheville, statistics reveal that roughly 44% of students in public schools come from economically disadvantaged householdsโdefined as those earning less than 185% of the federal poverty line. Unfortunately, learning loss isnโt limited to just school closures; extreme heat during school hours has been linked with academic setbacks and lower-income students often find themselves without air conditioning, worsening their learning conditions. Wildfires too hurt childrenโs academic performance, alongside an increase in asthma cases due to air pollution.
Schools in Asheville are now working to help students make up for lost time as they craft grant proposals for after-school tutoring. As Kimberly Dechant from the Asheville school district puts it, โWe havenโt had a meaningful discussion on how climate change affects our schoolsโfrom temperature during recess to football practice.โ
The Emotional Toll of Disruption
Dr. Cassandra R. Davis, who studies community resilience post-disaster, explains that the emotional weight families carry can be crippling. โStudents really depend on school for stability,โ she noted, and highlighted that elementary school students often struggle the most during such upheavals, frequently backtracking in their learning.
A lot of kids have reported missing social interaction and the everyday vibes that school typically offers. For instance, Steere shared that her older son missed communicating with his friends during this downtime, but luckily his charter school opened last week. Meanwhile, her 11-year-old son, who has autism, felt the pinch too. โFor kids like him, routine is everything,โ she lamented, emphasizing that school usually brings that stability.
Moving Forward
Families are weighing their options. Mosley even enrolled her kids in a Mississippi school partially out of necessity to maintain her job. โWhen water would come back, schools would come back,โ she recounted, but that hasnโt turned out to be the case. In the wake of these events, Asheville school officials have started bringing in bottled drinking water and are excited about reopening. However, a mix of trepidation and hope looms over families who might not return. โYou have to do whatโs best for your family,โ Dechant shared, highlighting the difficult decisions families are facing.
Amid this chaos, Steere feels grateful that her older son is back in school. The teachers are working hard to help students process the hurricane experience through creative writing and emotional outlets. โHe was proud of the poem he wrote about it,โ she relayed with a hint of optimism. โThatโs something schools can truly offerโthose opportunities for kids.โ
