Making Schools More Fair, Welcoming, and Safe
Our writers asked tough questions about the issues they face at school. Here are New York City Schools Chancellor Porter’s positions on back-to-school Covid safety, New York City’s long history of education inequality, student vaccinations, and how to work successfully with a new mayor. This interview took place in July and has been edited for […]
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The Healing Tree
One spring day in May 2021, I looked out the window and saw the sun peeking out from the clouds. I realized that I had spent the last 445 days mostly alone. I had to leave my room. After a long day of school Zoom meetings, I felt drained. Every day was like the next. […]
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I Got the Vaccine to Protect My Mom and Help End the Pandemic
My mother has COPD, which stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It’s a terrible respiratory condition: She has trouble walking up steps and sometimes uses an oxygen tank. That made the pandemic extremely scary for my family and me. To protect my mom, I hardly ever went outside, and when I did, I wore two […]
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To Protect My Foster Dad, To Get Back in the Classroom, To See My Friends’ Faces Again: Why I Got the Vaccine
Until the pandemic, I never realized how important it was to see faces. Having to wear masks leaves us in a weird spot where we can’t tell what people are feeling, which makes me feel disconnected. I also miss hanging out with friends without having to worry about our health. And I especially miss the […]
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