MSNBC panel pummels 'failure' of remote learning, asks why 'conventional wisdom' took so long to agree

An MSNBC panel on Wednesday blasted the "failure" of remote learning in the coronavirus pandemic.

On "Morning Joe," New York Times writer David Leonhardt laid out a "grim picture" of the consequences of extended school closings, citing data showing minority students falling increasingly behind in their studies, soaring mental health problem rates, an alarming rise in suicide attempts for adolescent girls, and increased behavioral issues.

"Remote learning has been a failure. Kids do not learn very much remotely," he said. "It creates social isolation, disruption in kids’ lives. {New York City mayor Eric] Adams is right. The research does suggest school is the safest place for kids. If omicron leads more schools to close, we know, with a high degree of confidence, it will damage kids greatly. So the only question becomes do we decide as a society that by keeping schools closed we prevent less damage than we know we are going to do to kids by closing schools further. My reading of the evidence is no, we’re going to do more damage by closing schools. The only question is, how do we do less damage?"