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Campus News
The Clarion \ April 15,2020
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lustration
by LA Johi
Response to school closings
By Mickayla Smith
staff Writer
According to NPR, once COVID-19 became
an issue in the United States, most schools
nationwide closed because of this pandemic.
Teens ranging from 13 to 17 participated in a
national poll to see how schools are proceeding
after their closing. The results concluded that
distance learning is not a universal substitute
for students.
A poll of 849 teenagers, conducted by
Common Sense Media using SurveyMonkey,
found that as schools were transitioning to online
learning, 41 percent of teenagers, including
47 percent of public school students say they
haven’t attended online classes. This survey was
conducted between March 24 and April 1; some
schools may have been on spring break during
this time and weren’t aware of this survey. This
could have affected the engagement with online
learning.
There was a big gap found between public
and private schools. About 18 percent of private
school students say they haven’t attended an
online class, compared to 47 percent of public
school students. A lot of students, like the rest
of the world, are worried about the coronavirus
pandemic.
The survey showed that four out of five
students are following news about COVID-19
closely. More than 60 percent of students say
they are worried about how this pandemic is
going to affect their schooling, family, friends
and ultimately themselves. They’re afraid of
having someone close to them get exposed to the
virus or accidentally getting exposed themselves.
Jose Luis Vilson, a middle school teacher in
the Washington Heights section of New York
City, says that these findings ring true in his
society. “You think about the vast majority of
the kids, they’re going through their own levels
of stress,” he said.
Engaging them right now, in a city that has
been at the center of one of the worst outbreaks
of the coronavirus, he added, is challenging,
and not just for technical reasons: “There are
hundreds of cases just within the school district
that I work in of COVID-19.” Vilson adds that
a lot of kids have parents that are essential
workers. “So really, we as educators have to be
mindful of all those things.”
In past disasters, research has shown that
teenagers are most at risk when school is
interrupted. Some have to work in order to help
the family income, or they are forced to stay
home to look after younger siblings.
With all of this added pressure, students are
more likely to drop out and not go to college.
Experts say keeping students connected to the
community helps their future chances.
On the bright side, teens have said they have
stayed connected to family and friends through
social media, texting and talking on the phone.
In addition, 68 percent of students say they have
stayed connected with their schools through
email.
THE Clarion
Senior Staff
Editor in Chief .... Zach Dickerson
Managing Editor. . . Julie Carter
Copy Editor Carmen Boone
Campus News .... Zach Dickerson
Opinion Julie Carter
Arts & Life Chloe McGee
Ala Andonovska
Sports Eleanor Flannery
Layout & Design . . . Chloe McGee
Margaret Correll
Staff Writers
Eli Goodhew Mickayla Smith
Sam Hipp Solomon Turner
Caroline Hoy Amber Vance
Lande Simpson
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