WESTSIDE — The end of classes at area schools last week was cited as the cause of severe depression in both students and teachers, with some students being forced to leave the school and go to their homes for the summer in large yellow buses.
"I can't believe it's over," said Robert, a teary-eyed seventh-grade boy, as he was forced to stand in line and board a bus to be taken back home. "I just wanted to stay and do some more math problems and read history," he said.
Teachers, too, were sad and depressed when the last day of school came to a close. Many were left wondering how they would cope over the long summer break without breaking up quarrels and trying to keep their students' attention while they taught the details of their course curricula.
Teachers' depression and unbelief that school was really over was evidenced by the fact that many returned to their empty classrooms on Monday, hoping against hope the students would return. By the end of the day, most drove away with somber faces.
Inside sources at area medical clinics told us that visits from teachers were up this week, most coming in for anti-depressant drugs to help them get through the empty-classroom syndrome (ECS) until mid August when the students return.
With school out for the summer, students we interviewed said they had little to do and would likely sleep in, eat junk food and play video games to pass the time -- further evidence of the depression they experience over the summer months. A few told us their parents were sending them to summer camps and reading programs to help them cope.
"I miss reading so much that I convinced my parents to sign me up for a summer reading program at the library," one sad and depressed student named Missy told us on Friday. "But it's just not the same as school," she added. "There's no pressure, no one telling us to get back to work and hand in our assignments by the end of the period, no one threatening to send us to the principal's office. There's just no structure to the summer; I miss school already!"
While most teachers said they will pass the summer trying to keep busy and take their minds off their empty classrooms, some told us they spend some time each day in pizza parlors with video arcades just to be around children and the noise of children at play.
"It's the only way I can cope," said Debra Jones, a middle school English teacher, "I just can't take it at home, away from children!" she said. "It's too quiet and depressing."
The only apparent solution to the problem is year-round school. Both teachers and students seem to favor the idea, even if it's for no other reason than to stave off ECS depression.
"My teachers really want to have classes year-round," John Snead, an area high school principal, told us. "They love teaching and having students in their classrooms so much they would like to have longer days too," he explained.
"If I could go to school all day, every day, I would be really happy," said Alex, a fourth-grade student. "I wouldn't have to do depressing stuff like play outside or watch TV or play video games anymore. That would be the greatest!"
S.A. Tired covers fictitious news from an unrealistic perspective for the Eagle Observer. He may be contacted by email at [email protected]. News and views in Spinning the News are claimed by no one else but the author.
Editorial on 05/25/2016