After COVID-19 forced governments to shut down schools all over the country, online school has been introduced as an alternative.  While many are happy to even be seeing their classmates and teachers through the video communication app, Zoom, staring at a computer screen all day does seem to have its effects on the students.  

As of March 13, school was canceled due to the coronavirus.  Now, nearing the end of September, students have experienced almost five months of online school.  With school being about four hours each day, that is a lot of screen time.  Teenagers already spend too much time on their phones and electronic devices, so school being online does not help. 

Kathleen Slikker, mom of freshman Riley Slikker, has already been seeing some changes. 

“When I come home, Riley doesn’t want to talk because either she has a headache or she’s tired, or she just doesn’t feel like talking,” said Slikker.

Students and teachers alike also seem to be seeing some disadvantages to the learning aspect of online school.  Classmates aren’t connecting or participating, it’s much easier to cheat, and it’s harder to know if the students are getting the material when all you can see is a black screen with a muted icon.  Instead of school being interactive and fun, it’s come to only talking when you are specifically called on, and the urge to be playing on your phone when you should be listening to the teacher.  

Freshman Jordan Stephenson believes he isn’t getting the experience he would be if schools were open.

“I think with the online classes it is harder for people to focus and understand the material,” said Stephenson. “The main problem is only having half our classes a day because we lose out on half the education we would usually get.”

Most people can’t wait to get back into school, but it might not come as soon as we thought, with COVID still being a problem in some areas.  While schools like Ripon Christian and the elementary schools in our district are starting to open, Ripon High hasn’t been given any notice so far, to people’s dismay.  Hopefully, coronavirus will die down soon and we will be able to be educated in person.