Science must guide the national debate over whether schools reopen in the fall, but history must have a voice, too. We cannot forget who pays the heaviest price when children are denied the chance to learn in person — not just now, but for generations.

Here in Prince Edward County, Va., we have lived the history of what it means for students to be deprived of access to in-person schooling for an extended period. After decades, the scars are still visible in our community, particularly among African Americans, sketched in the altered lives of those directly affected, now in their late 60s and 70s, and compounded through their children and grandchildren.

Read the full article in the Washington Post