16 Comments

This seems right on. I’m pretty sure schools were doing a version of this. If this is true, some school was using this to penalize students during such a difficult time.

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Yeah, schools were doing different versions of this (the school I was working at the time was, at least!). But it was more in an attempt to keep track of kids’ health and well-being, and the families in general, too. I just threw in some additional codes in an attempt to raise the level of absurdity! I appreciate you reading, Marc. I just checked out some of your stuff...going to subscribe in a minute. 🙌

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No way this is fictional.

My son (in 2nd grade at the time) was always PBC. Present, but crying. He HATED Zoom meetings. They are NOT for everyone. I've cried through a few myself. 😂

Happy Thanksgiving, Justin!

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I feel like the K-5 kids had it the worst. Such trying times! I don’t like Zoom meetings either, to be honest. Or any type of work-related meeting for that matter. 🤣

Happy Thanksgiving to you as well, Meg!

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I had to teach some guitar lessons on Zoom during the pandemic. It was awful. The delay made playing together impossible and the sound of guitar through student’s cheap laptop microphones was a swirly, choppy mess. Never again!

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That sounds absolutely miserable. I’m happy those days are behind us (mostly)!

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I get the sense that this is not entirely a parody. Tough times to be a teacher.

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There are some shards of truth embedded here without a doubt. It was a bizarre couple of years of teaching - happy they are behind us! Thanks so much for reading, Ben.

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Hilarious, and not at all that fictional. I don't know, but maybe I would add two more codes. PTw ( present but spent entire class on twitter) and PA ( present but asleep) . Happy Holiday to you, Justin, and to all those who love you!

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There are some definite glimmers of truth within this one! Haha! I love your additions. They are perfect fits.

Thank you, Sharron. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!

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Given what my friends who have kids were telling me, this story doesn't seem all that outrageous.

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It really isn’t, and it isn’t too far off from what actually took place (at least in my district at the time). I’m happy that chapter is over! Thanks for reading.

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Happy Thanksgiving, Justin! I missed Fifties, but caught it yesterday and wow did you have an amazing turnout. I must have been UAM: Unexcused Absent Minded. I'm so glad school is back to in person and that my kids enjoy it. They were more ready to go back than anyone.

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Happy Thanksgiving to you as well, Brian! Thank you for the warm wishes and for reading. Fifties by the Fire has been so much fun. Haha! Don’t ever worry. I usually arrive four or five hours late to my own party. 😄 Life always take priority!

I’m happy to hear that your kids enjoy school. Remote schooling/hybrid classes was such a challenge for so many involved!

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I think this email probably encapsulates a lot of the absurd uncertain of that time. My favorite is DCR.

The upcoming novel I'm releasing on Substack in hopefully January of 2024 is about high school teachers in Upstate New York pre-pandemic; you may relate!

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That’s exactly what I tried to do: capture the absurdity of it all! I really appreciate you reading. And that book sounds like something up my alley!

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