Graphic by Jorden Demerritte

Inside the Petri dish: An in-person student’s perspective on MAST’s COVID conundrum

By Isabella Zimmermann
Editor-in-Chief

Like many of you, I was not shocked when I found out that MAST had made headlines yet again after making another blunder. It seems to be our unusual talent, our forte, considering that the last time news stations reported on us because of COVID-19 was back in October.

I have been attending in-person classes since day one. Over the past couple of months, I have observed both students and staff alike ignoring basic COVID guidelines. 

It has become an annoyance at this point, coming to school knowing that I can be quarantined again at any second. MAST has turned into a COVID-carousel, if you will; when one person gets off the ride, returning from their quarantine, another gets on to start theirs. By this time, I have already been quarantined three times, for a sum of six weeks—nearly one full grading quarter. 

This has become somewhat of a joke among those that remain as wonder: ‘when will our next vacation away from the chaos at school begin?’

The second time I was quarantined, it had been about three days after my return from the first time. This has become somewhat of a joke among those that remain as we wonder: ‘when will our next vacation away from the chaos at school begin?’

“I feel like it’s less productive to be quarantined every other week. I’ve been quarantined four times in just this year,” senior Francesca Fernandez said. “It would make more sense if the school could come to a final decision in having students online or in-person permanently rather than it being a constant roulette.”

As someone who spends most of the day in the auditorium attending classes over Zoom, I thought it would be best to go remote. That way, I can do the same amount and quality of work at home without risking my health.

I am stuck in an awkward position, though, like many other students. MAST has made it almost impossible for some students to shift to remote learning without the risk of upending their entire schedule mid-way through the year. Some classes were made to be “in-person only.” That is, if I switched online, I would have to change my schedule to replace it with a new class period or even a new teacher more than 18 weeks into the school year. 

“[I couldn’t switch] because my current schedule didn’t work with the classes online, so I would have had to switch to different classes. I had already sent my college apps with my classes and schedules, too,” senior Katharine Lynn said.

Most of my classes are dual-modality, having both online and in-person students. I do not understand why all classes were not made in this likeness from the very beginning.    

“Being in-person is disappointing because it’s not even completely ‘in person,'” Fernandez said. “Half the teachers are online, and so are the students, so you’re not getting the full experience of being in school.”

“It’s harder to pay attention,” she added.

Lunch is another story. A printer page with a width of 11 inches taped to the table is all that separates me from the maskless student to my left and right. I have seen students remove their masks even if they are not eating, seeing the 45 minutes as a grace period where they cannot contract COVID. 

I admit the printer page was an attempt made by the administration, though minuscule; however, that attempt is all for nothing if no one enforces the social-distancing or tells students not to sit in the areas they’re not supposed to. 

I have sat through lunches where people talk of the latest party. “I got tested” is the usual excuse for either the host or attendees. Except, this is not really an excuse, especially when it is these events that are precisely to blame for all of us always being sent home.         

“It’s just dumb that people are going out during their weekends and then bringing [the virus] back to the school where everyone gets quarantined. It’s so selfish. Why do you even need to go to a party?” Lynn said. “[Some people] then brag about having parties.”

Principal Derrick McKoy has said that no cases have spread from within the school. This is not, however, an excuse to continue this reckless behavior within its premises. In-person students’ nonchalant attitudes, which allow them to ignore precautions, have led us to this predicament in the first place. 

Students may not yet have contracted the virus, but they certainly have contracted a sense of apathy towards it. This apathy is the same one that enables us to ignore even the smallest rules of being a few feet apart and wear our masks. It is the same apathy that many adopt outside of school and why the students holding these parties aren’t remorseful whatsoever of the harm they are causing.

And just when you think you are getting to know someone, they surprise you. The virus we first heard of in March is not the same one we are all facing now.

And just when you think you are getting to know someone, they surprise you. The virus we first heard of in March is not the same one we are all facing now. Mutations of the virus have created new variants, the most notable being the UK variant (B.1.1.7), the Brazilian variant (P.1), and the South African variant (B.1.351). These variants tend to be more fast-spreading, which would cause the number of cases to grow exponentially if people continue to not be careful.

The point is that the pandemic has not ended, despite our wishes for it to. Now is not the time to be relaxed and act as if everything is over. It is not.

You are risking other people’s health by hosting or attending large gatherings. I have heard students criticize faculty members, when in fact, many of us are at fault. Students are to blame for why we got another set of people quarantined the day after returning from the one that sent over 200 students home. 

Yes, the administration has been lacking when it comes to enforcing rules. Still, if we as MAST students do not begin to take the virus more seriously, then we will continue to have mass quarantines just like the one we just had.

Stop ignoring COVID regulations and wear your masks properly. If we all cooperate, we can effectively combat this virus as a community.