Stuck at home, students reflect on their world views

Because of the new lifestyle caused by the coronavirus pandemic, many Laboratory Schools students face new obstacles. While confined to their homes, students are reflecting on their world views and altering their mindsets, fueled by social changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The difficulty of this situation seems to have promoted increased awareness of societal issues in a younger generation.

Students are beginning to question the current structure of society and consider what they hope will change in response to this crisis.

“After this is over, I know that our society will start to give these essential workers, who are risking their well-being right now, the respect they deserve,” ninth-grader Jana Lesniak said. “I feel like we almost need to have a complete economic and social upheaval.”

Jana’s viewpoint has become popularised by the increasingly visible suffering and importance of low-income workers. Jana described her anger that many of the workers deemed essential are paid a minimum wage and that these workers less than the government-issued stimulus checks.

“In these times, I wonder what the world will be like after quarantine. I think that it’s going to take a long time for people to feel comfortable with each other again,” sophomore Kara Tao said. 

Some students question how health codes will change in response to the rapid spread of COVID-19. Others wonder if the minimum wage will rise in response to the currently realized importance of low-income workers. 

“One time I was just thinking about if Medici was going to close, and then before I knew it, I was looking up who qualifies for food stamps,” ninth-grader Esme Oliver said.