A lot of the "rich parents" in Richland District One simply pulled their kids out of school. It's heartbreaking to see how many bright kids went to private school, and they ain't coming back anytime soon. (I know one private school that increased it's student-to-teacher ratio by 25% DURING the pandemic). Meanwhile, the "poorest," disadvantaged, and intellectually challenged kids who are most in need of in-person, 5 days a week instruction were saddled with "at home learning" (a joke). The "brain drain" in Richland 1 is a real thing and will eventually show up in test scores.
Let's keep it real: the teachers were looking out for themselves, not the students. I don't blame them. I also don't blame "rich parents" for looking out for the best interest of their children. So here we are.