Last semester was undoubtedly challenging, but this one has proven to be even more difficult. The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the United States’ inadequate response, has forced parents and teachers to make unpleasant decisions regarding their children’s education. However, the recent emergence of the highly contagious Omicron variant has brought a new level of chaos to schools.
In a notable shift, teenagers across the country are now voicing their opinions on in-person schooling, a topic that has primarily been dominated by adults such as parents, teachers, and politicians. Just last week, students from over 20 schools in New York City staged a walkout, with similar protests taking place in Boston, Chicago, Seattle, and other cities. These students feel frustrated and unsafe, as they are the ones directly facing the challenges on a daily basis. Gianna Pizarro, a 15-year-old sophomore at Burncoat High School in Massachusetts, expressed her concerns about attending school amidst a mix of masked and unmasked individuals.
The experiences of students have been disheartening in recent times. Eliana Smith, a 17-year-old senior at Cedar Ridge High School in Texas, noted that a significant number of students are absent from class, presumably due to COVID-19. Despite the existence of a mask mandate at her school, many students choose not to wear masks. Additionally, Smith mentioned that she is not notified if she has been exposed to a COVID-positive individual at school, creating an unsettling environment.
Tiernee Pitts, a 17-year-old classmate of Smith’s, shared that many teachers have been absent lately, causing a significant impact on her learning experience. She described some classes as mere babysitting sessions, where students are left unsupervised while others work on unrelated assignments. Fueled by their frustrations, Smith, Pitts, and their friend Asmita Lehther, an 18-year-old senior at Round Rock High School, launched a petition demanding better COVID-19 protections in their school district. Subsequently, students across the Round Rock Independent School District participated in a walkout to protest the current situation.
The students’ requests include timely notifications of COVID exposure, strict enforcement of mask mandates, and the provision of higher-quality masks such as KN95 or N95. They also advocate for the option of remote learning until these demands are met. Unfortunately, the district spokesperson explained that certain limitations hinder their ability to fulfill these requests, such as the lack of resources for extensive contact tracing and legal disputes regarding the mask mandate. Moreover, state laws impose restrictions on the percentage of students allowed to engage in remote learning simultaneously.
Transitioning to fully remote schooling poses significant challenges. A conservative student group at Georgetown Law School recently criticized the decision to begin the spring semester virtually, citing adverse effects on motivation, mental health, socialization, and the quality of education. The high school students organizing walkouts do not propose a permanent shift to remote learning but simply seek a temporary transition as COVID-19 cases soar. Their concerns revolve around their own safety as well as the risk of transmitting the virus to vulnerable family members. Mia Dabney, a 17-year-old student rally organizer in Seattle, expressed her concern for her relatives with asthma and the need to protect them.
Additionally, some students have noted that their classmates attended school despite testing positive for COVID-19, highlighting the lack of official reporting and contact tracing within schools. As a result, students have taken matters into their own hands by informally tracking their peers’ test results and monitoring social media for any indications of COVID cases. Pizarro, for instance, only discovered that she had been in close proximity to a COVID-positive student through a friend, as the school failed to inform her.
The crowded cafeterias in many schools also raise concerns among students. Lunchtime becomes a situation where students are forced to share an indoor space with maskless classmates, increasing the potential for COVID transmission. The students organizing the walkouts are requesting outdoor dining options to alleviate the crowded conditions.
In some cities, student actions have caught the attention of school administrators. For example, the chancellor of New York City’s schools offered to meet with student organizers after their walkout. However, it appears that the most immediate impact of these walkouts is the inspiration they provide for more walkouts. Students mentioned being motivated by the organizing efforts they witnessed in New York City, Oakland, and Chicago. This momentum is continuing to spread, with students in other cities expressing interest in planning similar protests in their own school districts.
In conclusion, students have grown tired of the challenges they face in schools during the ongoing pandemic. They are demanding better COVID-19 protections and have taken to the streets to voice their concerns. These young individuals are not advocating for a complete transition to remote learning but rather for temporary measures until the situation improves. Their actions have inspired students in other cities to follow suit, showcasing the power of student activism in driving change.
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