If we were ranking weeks according to our anxiety levels, this one would rank up there with the worst of them, if not at the top.
The 2020-21 school year has been tough enough, starting out with classes online almost everywhere because of the coronavirus pandemic. But the arrival of Election Day — election week or month, really — has made it harder to focus than ever — for kids and adults.
That’s what prompted a senior at Denver South High School named Jadyn Mill to write a letter to teachers about how students are feeling at this moment. She sent it to veteran history teacher Hayley Breden, who tweeted it out — and now they are getting supportive reactions from students and educators alike about the sentiments it captures.
“I wrote this letter to offer insight into the experiences of young people during this time,” Mill said in an email Monday. “I sat down yesterday and all I could think about was the election and the fear associated with it. These past few months have been quite the struggle and I just knew this week would not be an exception. I wanted to find a way to communicate how myself and many others are feeling in a way that felt comfortable, safe, and honest.”
The letter says in part:
This feels like life or death for many of us. We are sitting here, pits in our stomachs, teachers in our eyes, and futures on the line. So please, take it easy this week, not only on us, but on yourselves as well!
Here’s Breden’s tweet, and the full text of the letter by Mill.
Teachers responded to Breden, including a teacher named Alfredo Silva, who tweeted: CONTINUE READING: ‘This feels like life or death for many of us’ -- student writes letter to teachers - The Washington Post