High school junior in Springfield says she and her peers are learning about the downside of remote learning

Posted on December 10, 2020
Emily Yee, a junior at Southeast High School, told the Springfield Public School board online learning leaves much to be desired. (Photo courtesy: Dave Dahl/WJBC)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – It takes a lot of guts – even in a Zoom meeting – for a teenager to stand up to the school board. But it happened in Springfield this week.

Emily Ye, a junior at Southeast High School, shared her concerns about online learning with the Springfield public school board – after surveying 300 students from the district’s three public high schools.

“Online school has been affecting us physically and mentally in a negative way,” said Ye, saying up to ten hours a day in front of a screen leads to backaches, eyestrain, isolation, and depression.

She said tutoring opportunities and mental health support are lacking. She says students feel as if they are working more and learning less. And, quoting Ye, “we’re not getting a lot of grace from our teachers.” 

Students here are supposed to start a hybrid format, with some in-person instruction, after New Year’s.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]. 

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