By February 2021, my students discuss how mentally and emotionally drained they were. One incredibly talented and caring student described how all her friends were failing, and how the school’s response only made things worse. Another shared how the endless assignments, the lack of social connection, and the constant grind were just sucking the life out of him.
And that’s when I broke down. I remember how terrible I felt, crying in front of my students for the first time, wondering if it was the “wrong” reaction. But I couldn’t hold it together anymore. I couldn’t understand why we were doing this to them. Why weren’t we listening? Why couldn’t we fix this?
I just wanted someone to take responsibility for the mess we created—admit that we were wrong, and that these kids didn’t fail, we failed them.
This is about more than just virtual school—it’s about reaching the breaking point. It’s about being ok with showing vulnerability. It’s about admitting we got it wrong and demanding accountability. It’s about the adults in our school systems demonstrating what it means to be an adult.
Voices of the Unheard: February 5, 2021