Some countries or their respective states, due to the current pandemic, have swapped everyday going to school for online classes. And perhaps, at some point, you or your children have experienced what distance learning or teaching is all about. Some learners might prefer studying online, whereas others are missing the physical classroom presence and sharing their daily life with peers. Also, some parents might really enjoy their kids’ presence at home, while others, for one reason or another, are longing for schools to go back in person.
Either way, it seems that the pandemic is taking its toll and some people are not only aware of its effect on education, but also pointing out the fact that it might be harder than everyone thinks to return to so-called “normality.”
Some learners might prefer studying online, but some might be finding it quite challenging
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A tweet by Minneapolis-based writer Ann Bauer, who tuned in to a parents’ Zoom meeting with a Minnesota Senator regarding schools, got the attention of 10.5K users so far. And what she has taken from it, which she decided to share online, has alarmed her. According to Bauer, the situation is even worse than sad or depressing. The Zoom meeting escalated to the point where parents talked about kids being behind in lessons with no possibility of catching up, failing promising athletes, and even to such extremes as suicidal kids. If you or your kids are in online education at the moment, you might be able to relate to this story to a certain extent. Let us know your thoughts about online learning and what are possible solutions to its challenges, or whether it has become an innovative new way of improving the education system—you can share it in the comments below.
Ann Bauer had a chance to be a guest in a parents’ Zoom meeting with the local senator about schools and it was worse than she expected
Image credits: annbauerwriter
As a guest, Bauer attended a Zoom meeting between parents and Minnesota DFL Senator that discussed a really vital topic: schools. She already expected it to be bad, sad, and depressing, but it managed to even exceed her expectations. She stressed that the meeting involved families from a wealthy district that is probably within the top 5 in the state, whose parents are almost all white professionals. Feeling like those families would be in a good position and that she should be worrying about the ones in real need, Bauer was about to discontinue it.
The parents present at the meeting were almost all white professionals and she thought that when it comes to current schooling situation, they are fine compared to families that are in real need
Image credits: annbauerwriter
Turns out, even somewhat wealthy families are not okay. During the Zoom meeting, some parents shared that they have never seen their kids so dark, hopeless or unhappy—and as she pointed out, those were families living in an area that could be considered the Shangri-La of Minnesota. But even the wealth and the comforts haven’t stopped their kids from hiding in their rooms crying or falling behind in school so much they might never catch up. Parents themselves acknowledged how privileged they are to be able to afford tutors for their kids and provide them with any necessary electronics and they admitted worrying about families that don’t live in the same conditions.
Parents, however, admitted that some of their kids are dark, hopeless, or unhappy
Image credits: annbauerwriter
Image credits: annbauerwriter
What surprised Bauer the most was that the money didn’t make this situation ok, as the families measured themselves against people with actually nothing. In her post, she shared that the parents looked terrified, two fathers even cried, and moms had outbursts. What they were talking about was their and others’ kids being even suicidal.
The parents stated that their kids have been denied a decent education for a full year
Image credits: annbauerwriter
And that their kids are not only missing out on their goals, but are even suicidal
Image credits: annbauerwriter
A 15-year-old that attended the Zoom meeting also got emotional after revealing that she currently is in quite a dark place. The teenager also made a point that “other businesses” have also had to to deal with shutdowns and was reminded, that school is not supposed to be a business.
An eloquent teenager also spoke in the Zoom meeting, admitting being in a dark place
Image credits: annbauerwriter
Image credits: annbauerwriter
Some of the statements got Bauer to a screaming point, but she was on mute
Image credits: annbauerwriter
The student also spoke about how there were new variants and predictions of a huge surge in cases, and expressed her awareness that authorities are doing their best to keep everyone “safe.” According to Bauer, the teenager was in an unwinnable spot, with no control over teacher’s unions and only thing left to do was to rhetorically question safety, infections, variants, and systems.
Image credits: annbauerwriter
Bauer admitted that the teenager that was invited to speak was in an unwinnable situation
Image credits: annbauerwriter
Image credits: annbauerwriter
What Bauer really stressed is that there is no way to “get the train of public education going again” and that this generation of kids are going to be the ones that are sitting alone in their bedrooms; meanwhile, committees and task forces will be assembled.
She doubts that there is a way to get the train of public education going again
Image credits: annbauerwriter
She even advised the parents of Minnesota to move to different states that have in-person schools
Image credits: annbauerwriter
The post on Twitter received a ripple of comments from people who faced similar situations in online learning, teaching, or having to aid online learners. Some users agreed that regardless of financial status, it is a basic psychological, social, and emotional human need that makes everyone equal when it comes to schooling. One of the comments was a short film portraying what young online learners are going through, which received over 20K likes on YouTube. You can check out some of the mixed reactions below.
And this is how other users reacted to her post
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