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Long thread: Let’s be honest, with both back to school plans that GPPSS have given us, we’re screwed either way. I will be an incoming junior taking 4 APs (3 half year, 1 full year), 1 honors, and 3.5 other elective or core classes. I’m not trying to boast about my classes, but
only to give reference as to what I’ll be taking. Now, let’s unpack our two options. First, we have OneGP virtual. I could be put in a class with students and teachers not from my home school, but possibly the other neighboring highschool. I point this out for multiple reasons.
One, if I decide to change to traditional, I will most likely have a complete schedule change where I would have to adapt to different teachers and peers. Two, if I’m alone taking OneGP without knowing anyone, the impact of that would be terrible to my mental health.
Why you may ask. Mainly because I’m shy and I really don’t see how I would flourish in an environment in which I know nobody in a class online. And as of Tuesday only 3 percent of GPPSS students have signed up. That could mean about 25 kids per grade. Which also means only
13ish kids in my grade at my specific home school possibly taking oneGP. I don’t understand how it will work effiecently. To add on, because I am taking 4 aps, it might not even be ran through the school, but through Michigan Virtual where I’d be learning alone with a mentor.
My other problem is electives. They are only offering two for OneGP. Electives wise I would be taking Tower, French 4, Ap Physch, and I believe accounting. As a junior, this being the last year that really means something and counts. I find it hard imaging myself letting go
of any of the electives I chose to take back in January. Each elective is important to me for a multitude of reason and if I get in to that this thread would go on forever. The other thing I want to touch on for OneGP is that I truely think it is the safest option by far.
Now, let’s talk about traditional. We would be starting off remote, but the district hopes for us to get back to the classroom very soon. Personally, I would want to take traditional because I would get all the classes I wanted and I probably wouldn’t be socially deprived.
But, I really do not want to go back to the classroom anytime soon and here’s why. One, our learning in school would be worse than remote period. Why? Because we’d be 6 feet apart under very strict guidelines which probably wouldn’t allow for collaboration or anything else we
as students need for our mental well being. Two, none of the teachers want to go back because they don’t want to draft up wills, understandably. It’s not safe if we go back. The district has task forces for when we return, but they most likely aren’t the ones being affected
by their decisions. I’m flabbergasted at the fact that they nearly decided to start school face to face 5 days a week (before they changed it to remote). That is incredibly insane and makes no sense. Look at the science, there are over 150,000 dead from covid.
I personally, don’t want to go back to school because it isn’t safe and I don’t like feeling like a guniea pig. And I know we’re online, but the district has created trust issues between families and themselves. How do we know if when we go back, it’ll be safe?
Have you looked at what is happening in other districts? The easiest thing to do, is to have everyone do the same program (traditional), but fix it. For example, if we go back face to face, and if some students don’t want to go back they shouldn’t have to.
This adds on to the learning in person being far different then anything we’ve ever done before. Why can’t classes be live-streamed? And it’s not like students will really be able to be completely present. How will they keep us engaged? 6 feet apart, wearing masks and other
strict measures, how are students supposed to get a proper education when we have to worry about getting a virus and possibly transmitting it to a family member. Where is the line? Why do we have to choose between these options.
One being safety and limitations in classes, the other being pretty dangerous and strict guidelines to follow. I would love to go back to school, but it doesn’t seem doable until there is a vaccine or if we’ve really got the number down. But then, we could look at Israel and what
they did. They admitted their mistakes and acknowledged the fact that opening schools was a major major cause for one of their biggest outbreaks. We don’t want that to happen here.
Last topic is sports. The MHSAA has given districts across Michigan the green light. Honestly, I find it pretty stupid. I run cross country and I do not want our season cancelled, but again when I go to practice I feel like a science experiment.
And I know, no one wants us to feel that way, but unfortunately that’s how I feel. As we’ve seen in professional sports, if they can’t control it, then how will we. There has already been a handful of covid cases during conditioning practices for certain sports in gp.
So clearly it’s not safe. They should just reschedule fall sports. Also, I know many teens don’t give a shit about the options we’re getting, but I do. And I can’t stand the fact that people are leisurely traveling or continuing to party.
I’m not trying to be a negative nancy, I simply just don’t want to get sick or anyone else sick and I want the best education I can get. Is that really too much to ask. The fact that we have to choose between safety or a more normal education is insane to me.
I’m done with this rant, sorry it was a little all over the place. I have too many thoughts. Also, I did mainly focus on the student side, teachers shouldn’t have to go back if they don’t want to. If you’ve read this far give yourself a pat on the back :)
