Emily Oster is an economics professor at Brown University, as well as an author and podcast host. And she has become incredibly famous for her data-driven approach to pregnancy and parenting.
Dr. Oster claims to base all of her opinions and advice on concrete data, and while some, specifically the upper-middle class, have taken her words as absolute truths, others claim her guidance is incorrect and even dangerous.
Who Is Emily Oster?
As an economics professor at an Ivy League institution, Dr. Emily Oster is undoubtedly highly educated and intelligent.
She has used her capabilities to become a wildly successful author, with a huge social media presence, to “[create] a world of more relaxed pregnant women and parents.”
Emily’s Ethos
Essentially, Emily Oster prides herself on creating content in the form of articles, podcasts, posts, and books, that is completely based on data, not opinions.
And while she has been a popular source of information for parents for some time, it was her response to the COVID-19 pandemic that really put Dr. Oster on the map.
Oster Pushed for Schools to Open Before Anyone Else
In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oster released an article that said schools can and should reopen, based on data she collected about case counts and the virus in regard to children.
Her main points were that keeping children out of school would have several negative side effects for their education as well as for their parents, and that, according to the statistics, putting them back in school wasn’t nearly as dangerous as people thought.
This Opinion Sparked an Intense Debate
As several publications, including The New York Times, have noted, this strong stance made Dr. Oster a “hero” to some and a “villain” to others.
Many agreed with her stance, but others argued that returning to school would only benefit the upper-middle-class and private schools, not low-income families or public schools, which were at a higher risk for contracting the virus.
Most Teachers Fought Against Dr. Oster
While parents across the country were essentially divided when it came to praise or criticism for Dr. Oster’s opinion, the vast majority of teachers were adamantly against her.
They argued that as a wealthy mother who didn’t attend public school or even send her kids to one, Oster certainly does not understand what it means to work in the public education system. One teacher, Maya Chavez, told The New York Times, “There is a serious disconnect between her idea of what school looks like and the reality.”
Emotional vs. Data-Driven Response
It’s important to understand that what Emily Oster has based her career on is evidence-based, data-driven responses to pregnancy and parenting.
But her naysayers claim that it’s not all about the data; in fact, when it comes to parenting, most people decide what’s best for their family with emotional responses.
Emily Oster Became Famous Around the World
As some say, there is no such thing as bad publicity, and the debate as to whether Emily Oster was a genius or a monster made her incredibly famous around the country and the world.
Since she took her stance fighting for schools to open, she has met with Hilary Clinton and Michelle Obama, as well as hosted several other big names in politics and education on her podcast.
Dr. Oster Was Even on the 2022 Time 100 List
In 2022, Time magazine released its 100 List of the most influential people around the world, and Dr. Emily Oster made the list for her impact during the pandemic.
Time called the economist “a savior for whipsawed mothers,” and gave her essentially a rave review for how she was able to help parents feel educated and in control throughout the year.
Emily Oster Says She Doesn’t Take Her Own Opinions Lightly
Emily stands by her stance from 2020, stating that “it wasn’t a mistake to open schools,” but she’s also mentioned that “[opening schools] was the hardest to write about.”
Oster also mentioned that she could have done things a little differently, or even better. She said, “I had maybe somewhat of a naïve approach,” and, “I didn’t stress that the situation is different for higher-risk children, or emphasize the importance of equitable vaccine distribution.”
Emily Oster Hasn’t Stopped Sharing Her Evidence-Based Opinions
Since schools reopened and the pandemic faded into the background, Emily hasn’t stopped sharing her data and assessments with her millions of followers.
She continues to focus on explaining the confusing health information circulating the internet for pregnancy and children in a clear and direct way.
Many Still Consider Oster Their Go-To for All Things Parenting
There’s no doubt that Dr. Oster’s polarizing opinion during COVID-19 made her an enemy to many, but the author is certainly still one of the most popular sources for information for parents in the country.
Her followers consider her to be a hero and some even call her their own personal CDC. It seems that in a world of varying opinions, parents want the data she provides. Though some might not like what she finds.
