FREE//GRATUITO
PUBLISHED BY ACCIÓN LATINA
Vol. 50 No. 08
April 23-May 6, 2020
VIRTUAL CLASSES HIGHLIGHT THE VERY REAL STRUGGLE FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS PADRES, PROFESORES Y ALUMNOS ENFRENTAN LA DIFÍCIL TAREA DE LAS CLASES EN LÍNEA Joseph High
El Tecolote
*Editor’s note: Joseph High is a journalism student in SF State’s Journalism 575 Community Media this spring. Taught by professor Jon Funabiki, the class is a collaboration with El Tecolote.
S
ince San Francisco public schools closed on March 16 in response to the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, Lourdes Alarcon has been in quarantine taking care of her 8th grade son and 5th grade daughter. She has also been watching a friend’s 2-year-old son during the day so that she can continue working at a local market. Alarcon says that the tasks of providing childcare, maintaining a home, and making sure her kids keep up on their studies have been a huge lift. “If you’re a single mother out there you really need some support, not only from the teachers but from anybody in the community that can send you some love,” Alarcon said, San Francisco Unified School District opened classes via Zoom teleconferencing on Monday, April 13. Alarcon was relieved to have her children back in regular learning sessions with their teachers, and her kids were excited to see their teachers and classmates again. But she says that even with virtual classes beginning, having her kids learn from home over the computer hasn’t been perfect. “When they’re going to the teacher it’s a different feeling and energy,” she said. “We’re human beings, even if the technology tries to fulfill all the needs, the presence of a teacher is something else, it’s something that has a soul.” Alarcon also mentioned that technology and language have been barriers even more than usual for her family and other families trying to access online learning as well as administrative business with the district. She says she is helping about 10 other families navigate enrollment for next school year as well getting onto Zoom classes. “It’s hard because they couldn’t deal with the school system, and now it’s even worse because they cannot deal with the education online,” she said. “I cannot deal with it and I’m good at English, tell me about the Spanish speaking families?” SFUSD Board Vice President Gabriela Lopez, who also works for the Mission Neighborhood Centers, says the school system’s focus should be to take every step with empathy and leniency. “We’re still helping families get adjusted to this process and supporting them in understanding the technology, getting access to it in generSee SFUSD, page 10
Lourdes Alarcón, a la izquierda, y su hija Itzel Pérez Alarcón, al interior de su domicilio en San Francisco, el 21 de abril de 2020. Lourdes Alarcon (left) and her daughter, Itzel Perez Alarcon, pose for a portrait inside their San Francisco residential building on April, 21, 2020. Photo: Janeth R. Sanchez. Joseph High
El Tecolote
*Nota del Editor: Joseph High es un estudiante de periodismo, de la clase Medios de Comunicación Comunitarios. Impartida por el profesor Jon Funabikli, la clase es una colaboración con El Tecolote.
D
esde que las escuelas públicas de San Francisco cerraron el pasado 16 de marzo por la pandemia del COVID-19, Lourdes Alarcón ha estado en cuarentena haciéndose cargo de su hijo de octavo grado y su hija de quinto grado. También ha estado al cuidado del hijo de 2 años de un amiga, para que ella pueda continuar trabajando en un mercado local. Alarcón dice que las tareas de proveer cuidado, mantener una casa y asegurándose de que sus niños sigan estudiando han sido grandes: “Si eres madre soltera, en verdad debes afrontar la necesidad de la ayuda, no solo de los profesores sino de cualquiera en la comunidad que pueda mandarte un poco de amor”. El Distrito Escolar Unificado de San Francisco (SFUSD, por sus siglas en inglés) inició las clases vía Vea DISTRITO ESCOLAR, página 10
Lourdes Alarcón utiliza junto con su hija la cuenta en la plataforma Zoom, en la cual encuentran las actividades académicas asignados diariamente. Lourdes Alarcon navigates her daughter’s school using the video platform Zoom where she finds the assignments due every day. Photo: Janeth R. Sanchez.