Thread by @WhitneyEpi

I don’t have the bandwidth right now to go into a full analysis of @ProfEmilyOster’s work but I feel compelled to make a few points: 🧵

https://twitter.com/ProfEmilyOster/status/1314572214621143040

First, @ProfEmilyOster, an economist, has spearheaded the most comprehensive data collection efforts re: #SARSCoV2 spread in US schools that I know of. Correct me if I’m wrong. I’d like to see other better data sources. 2/

She’s had to do this bc of a profound abdication of authority and will from the US government but also bc no one else (including us in #epitwitter - again, correct me if I’m missing better data sources) did it... 3/

We can spar over data quality, interpretation, etc., but I believe she deserves our thanks first and foremost. 4/

Her @TheAtlantic article is written in bold concise language (which can make us academics a bit queasy), but she links to her sources and actually makes a more narrow argument than I see reflected in a quick perusal of Twitter responses 5/

Her question: Is the evidence so far that opening schools necessarily catalyzes #SARSCoV2 spread in a community? She says the evidence appears to be, No. I think that’s a reasonable interpretation of the evidence. I look forward to reading others’ counterarguments 6/

Second, on a personal note, I’ve been disheartened by some of the misogyny I’ve seen directed at @ProfEmilyOster since she’s started writing on #COVID19, including from academic women. 7/

Thankfully I’ve seen this less in my corner of #epitwitter Twitter than I see it on academic mom Facebook. A lot of, “Who does she think she is?!” “I don’t trust her motivations” “She has an agenda”... 8/

As a Black woman, I’m keenly aware that I take a risk every time I push my voice forward in the public square. For my colleagues, threats of death and assault are all too common. And so many of these threats are gendered against women in sick ways. 9/

And, from what I see just in the surface of the response to her, I’m betting that even a relatively privileged woman like @ProfEmilyOster gets more threats and vitriol than she deserves. 10/

But I haven’t seen her complain much. I haven’t seen her throw up and hands shrink back. I’ve seen her continue to collect data, respond to critics by increasing the scale and methods of her efforts. I am genuinely impressed by this doggedness. It’s no small thing. 11/

We don’t have the data we should have on schools & #COVID19. But that is, in no way, the fault of @ProfEmilyOster. To me, much of the criticism of her feels like misdirected rage & frustration that should be directed at those in charge of making sure kids & families are safe 12/

I don’t know @ProfEmilyOster and I don’t agree with everything she writes (examples: I think her writing on weight gain/obesity —> perinatal health is damaging & un-skeptical; also she’s more individualistic about risk than I am as a social epi), 13/

But overall, I find her interpretation of data transparent and rigorous. And I’m grateful that she hasn’t been cowed. In a situation with no perfect data, I’m grateful that she’s using her time and talent to give us data to dissect and argue about 14/