Disaster Brings a Reality Check

As a resident of San Diego County I, like many others, was evacuated from my home. Unlike many others, I have a home to go back to. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those impacted by the fires. I also want to thank the firefighters, law enforcement personnel, and relief workers who are working so hard during this difficult time.

Throughout the county, schools are closed for the week and students won't return in my district won't return until at least Wednesday, October 31. Many staff members have been effected and air quality is very poor. All schools will have to the cleaned and air filters replaced before students can return.

I volunteered with other teachers at Qualcomm Stadium to help children who were evacuated with their families spend a little time with art, books and other activities. As we were walking through the corridors of the stadium, we stopped frequently to check the television monitors for news coverage. People, especially teenagers, were using laptop computers to check news and communicate with friends and family. Back at home, television, cell phones, and computers were (and still are) critical tools to keep up-to-date on news, family, friends, etc.

Because the fires have been changing so frequently the news has scrambled to keep up. As a result, some news has been at least temporarily inaccurate. I also found different information when searching online. I was reminded how important it is to teach students how to evaluate the information technology brings. They need to know how to check multiple sources, how to look for "official" information, and how to evaluate what they find. It isn't enough to have access to information, you have to know how to think through that information.