ToquiNotes: An Almost Certain Unprecedented, Unfair Feat in Play for State's Graduating Classes of 2021
By Jeff Toquinto on October 10, 2020 from ToquiNotes
I am pretty sure I am not going out on a limb here in saying 2020 absolutely sucks. While each of us can point to things of a positive nature, the year has been a dumpster fire.
As much as I hate the year, there is a particular group of people that I truly hate are dealing with the impacts of 2020. I will focus on the group in Bridgeport, but it is likely being repeated in counties across West Virginia.
I thought of this recently when one of my long-time friend Doug Sprouse’s daughter, Audrie, told me just recently about the Homecoming Parade. Thanks to some smart-thinking folks, there will be some part of Homecoming that will take place – some of which you will read about 
on Connect-Bridgeport.
on Connect-Bridgeport.
Homecoming, for the most part, will not be happening. It is going to be tough for every single student at the school that was looking forward to it. And it is yet another bitter pill for the seniors in the Class of 2021 to have to swallow.
I guess I could be wrong here, but has a senior class in Harrison County’s history – and again probably everyone of them in the state – endured more than this class? Has there ever been a class spending less time in an actual classroom setting? Has there ever been a class that has watched more extracurricular activities vanish?
For that matter, has there ever been a class that has simply not been able to meet up with friends without a twinge of anxiety that they not only could get sick, but bringing back something to their household with serious health ramifications to their parents or others under their roof or in the family setting?
I cannot imagine the answer to all those questions is an emphatic no. Understand, the loss of classroom time is not limited to COVID-19 during the 2019-20 school calendar year and the current 2020-21 calendar year.
Prior to COVID-19, this class dealt with back-to-back years where the educators walked away from their jobs due to issues with their benefits (not pay as so many like to paint the narrative). While one year was a short interruption of class and activities, the other had some duration to it.
I don’t know the total number of days the students have missed in actual classroom time, whether school was actually shut down or they were at home with virtual learning, but I know when it is said and done the number will easily surpass triple digits.
The really said thing, despite the best efforts and intentions of those involved, the only thing that will bring back normalcy is an end to a pandemic with no end in sight. There are talks of vaccines, medicines to treat it, and even that is being judged – at best – in terms of months and not in weeks.
It is a shame. Bridgeport Principal Matt DeMotto, who has been around education for decades, summed it up about as solid as it can get – with a positive message included.
“This class is getting a hard dose of what those who have lived long enough know. Life isn’t fair,” he said. “But every time you get down you get back up. This class needs to know they can get up and will get up stronger from the tougher times they’ve had to endure.”
DeMotto is right. Life is not fair. Usually, you realize the full score of that when you are a bit older, maybe with a few gray hairs. This class has had the misfortune of realizing it as they wait for a color-coded map to come out on a late Saturday afternoon to see if they can take part in a cross country meet, a band festival, a football game or a soccer match.
No, life certainly is not fair and gives you a whole lot of lemons. I have hope, more importantly faith, the Bridgeport High School Class of 2021 – and all others statewide – will have lemonade as a result. If any class deserved it, it is this one.
Very good article. You said it as well as it could be said. Thanks Jeff
Posted by Harry Murray
Oct. 10, 2020 at 8:52 PM EST
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