In November 2020, during virtual school, I noticed that my once thriving students were struggling, so we started recording our experiences. I wasn’t trying to criticize anyone; I just wanted to figure out what wasn’t working and fix it. I believed that we could make things better.

These conversations didn’t lead to the change I wanted at the time. My hope is that, while their voices were ignored then, these recordings can now serve as a resource for other students, families, and policymakers as they adopt new strategies for education. It’s time we stop pretending these failures were inevitable. Let’s listen to their voices, and start asking why their concerns were dismissed—and how that dismissal is still affecting schools today. 

This is also part of my own healing process. Sharing this story helps me work through the disillusionment and pain of being misunderstood, part of my journey to recover from the institutional abuse I endured for what I thought would be welcome student advocacy and the PTSD it caused. It also shows who I am as an educator, and I hope that through sharing this, I can find a place that values the talents and principles I bring to the table.

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