Publisher’s Perspective

By Tim Douglass, Publisher of the Pope County Tribune

Affordable childcare in this area and throughout the state, even the nation, is a top concern for many.

Early childhood education is in the news a lot, largely because of the huge challenges in childcare due to the pandemic. The headlines from across the country and Minnesota often center around how challenging it is for parents to find care for their children because spaces simply don’t exist and care they can find is unaffordable. Another common headline focuses on how little early childhood educators are paid. 

It seems logical that the two issues are linked.

Low wages can and did subsidize childcare for a while, but a new subsidy needs to come forward.  Maybe that would be our state government, with a surplus that was unimaginable just a few years ago.

Of course there are those who disagree with government subsidies of any kind, but that’s really what government does.  It subsidizes agriculture, manufacturing at times, public education, our transportation system and a host of other things that benefit the country as a whole.

Why not childcare?

Our neighbors to the east, Wisconsin, have subsidized childcare by providing state-funded preschool for 4-year-olds.  It is a success story, since it puts all children in a better position to start school.  

There has been talk of doing it for 3 and 4-year olds in Minnesota.  That would take a huge burden off of parents who are looking for top quality, consistent and affordable daycare.

Parents and families rightfully wonder “Why is childcare so expensive?” The reality is that it’s expensive because it costs a lot to provide good, high-quality care. Childcare providers are not collecting vast sums of money and hoarding it for themselves while not paying their teachers or helpers.  It’s quite the opposite. They are making every last cent stretch as far as they can, according to Tracie Myers, who has been the director of Community Childcare Center in St. Paul since 2006 and has been working in childcare since 1997.

She and other childcare workers say the simple fact is that we cannot sustain childcare the way it exists now and both pay teachers the wages they deserve and keep care affordable for families. It is not possible, the experts say.

So maybe public funding is the answer.

Maybe there are other ways to provide affordable quality childcare, something that businesses, parents and educators really need.

It is at least something that needs to be on the table when the state legislature convenes next year.  

We recently read that the Rotary District in Minnesota is taking on the issue of early childhood education and brainstorming ways that Rotarians can help.  That too is something that is welcome.

Once we start having a serious, statewide conversation about the issue, solutions will arise.

It’s time that conversation is front and center.