Some Schools Are Holding Zoom Detention And Twitter Is Not Having It
Some schools hold Zoom detentions and Twitter doesn't have it
At first I thought it might be a belated April Fool's joke. But the more I scrolled, the more I realized that it wasn't a laughing matter. Zoom incarceration is no joke. It's one thing. In children's rooms and at kitchen tables it happens just right. And the parents are tweet about it. Zoom Kids are sent to digital detention for reasons including inattention and a lack of instruction. I can't help but wonder, how does this work? And is it really necessary? Haven't we all been through enough this school year? To be honest, I haven't, and neither has Twitter.
Can Schools Require Families to Enforce Rules in Their Homes?
Here's a scenario for you. A school district in Springfield, Illinois is updating its school manual with guidelines for distance learning. One rule states that students are not allowed to wear pajamas or sit in bed in virtual classes. Schools enforce the dress code. But the problem is that the students are not in school. You are at home. Many families don't believe that the school has the right to tell them what rules their children must follow in their own home. So a parent might not care if their child wears pajamas during Zoom classes, but the school does. And the kid gets a Zoom detention. This puts the parents in a difficult position. You must be the pajama police. You don't agree with this, but now you have to enforce it? The lines are so blurred here. This is not a typical school year. We cannot have school rules and discipline as if they were.
Here is the link to serve Zoom detention
You can only imagine what Ugu Anya, a teacher, had to say when she received an email with a link to her child's Zoom detention. Your 9-year-old—like so many other kids across the country—is distracted, playing computer games, ignoring the teacher, or simply logging out of Zoom. Your child faces the same problems as all of us: keeping them together during a pandemic. I'm pretty sure Zoom detention won't help kids eliminate distractions, stop playing computer games, pay attention to their teacher, or stay in their Zoom class. If anything, it's only going to get worse. And nobody at school will be there to take care of it, but Ugu Anya will. Not to mention, how will she make sure her kid goes to Zoom confinement when she's trying to teach her own classes?
My child, like all of us, is struggling to stick together during this pandemic. I chose distance learning to protect her and I understand that doing 4th grade on Zoom is difficult. It's also difficult for teachers who manage children both in class and online. But Zoom's detention is ridiculous.
— Uju Anya (@UjuAnya) April 6, 2021
The solution to zoom fatigue is more zoom fatigue?
Within minutes of posting her tweet, comments poured in. Twitter didn't have it.
let me get this straight The "solution" for a child struggling with zoom fatigue is to give them more zoom? I mean. Come on.
— Meredith Pruden (@MeredithPruden) April 6, 2021
Good point. Punish zoom fatigue with more zoom fatigue. That's effective!
There must be a better way...
Ridiculous! I think detentions are bullshit in general, but especially right now. This year could have been a perfect time for the school system to think about innovative approaches to education (and discipline), but instead chose to make it harder and weirder than ever.
— Ana Maria (@LosFranich) April 6, 2021
Repeat after me. This. Is. Not. A Normal. School. Year.
How about giving kids a break?
This is completely ridiculous. SHE IS 9! I mean, isn't everyone doing their best to get by? Punishing a child for having trouble concentrating while staring at a computer screen for hours? How about giving her a break, like a literal break.
- Megs 🇨🇦 (@meghan_why) April 6, 2021
Maybe we should replace Zoom detention with some good old-fashioned outdoor play?
First, it was too much screen time. Now it's more screen time?
My 11 year old is going through the same issues. I find it ironic that the people who always told us to limit screen time now expect kids of all ages to stare at you for 8 hours a day.
I've decided that I'm not going to take this year seriously at all. I just don't care.
— THICC PERCHINA (@READLENINPLZ) April 6, 2021
Yes. So that makes sense...
Zoom detention or house arrest?
Like "You're grounded, please report to room 4"? How does this even work?
— J (@thatgirl405) April 6, 2021
Sigh. There's so much wrong with that.
What are your thoughts on Zoom incarceration? Come share and laugh with us in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Also, be sure to check out the craziest school rules for teachers that actually exist.
