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THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2020
School closings leave rural students isolated Responsible technology
By CEDAR ATTANASIO
Associated Press and
Report for America
CUBA, N.M. — The midday
arrival of a school bus at Cyliss Cas-
tillo’s home on the remote edge of a
mesa breaks up the long days of bore-
dom and isolation for the high school
senior.
The driver hands over food in
white plastic bags, collects Castillo’s
school assignments and offers some
welcome conversation before setting
out for another home.
The closing of classrooms and the
switch to remote learning because of
the coronavirus pandemic have left
Castillo and other students in this
school district on the sparsely pop-
ulated fringe of the Navajo Nation
in New Mexico profoundly isolated
— cut off from direct human contact
and, in many cases, unconnected to
the grid.
Like many of his neighbors, Cas-
tillo does not have electricity, let alone
internet.
It is yet another way in which
the pandemic has exposed the gap
between the haves and have-nots in
the U.S.
“There’s not a lot to do here. You
clean up, pick up trash or build stuff.
Like, I built that shed right there,” the
18-year-old Castillo said, pointing at a
pitched-roof plywood shed.
“Hopefully, hopefully by next
semester we’ll be going back into
school,” he said. “I don’t like online. I
like to be, you know, in school, learn-
ing. That’s just not me. I just fi nd it a
lot easier and a lot better than just out
here, not doing nothing.”
The Cuba Independent School
District, centered in a village of 800
people, has kept the buses running as
a way to bring school to students who
live in widely separated cabins, trail-
ers, campers and other structures on
a vast checkerboard of tribal, federal
and county land.
On their routes, the buses carry
school assignments, art supplies,
meals and counselors who check in
Cedar Attanasio/AP Photo
A student carries a math book delivered by school bus driver Kelly Maestas
along his rural route outside Cuba, New Mexico.
with students who are struggling with
online bullying, abuse, thoughts of
suicide or other problems.
The buses are a lifeline for families
in the Cuba school district, of whom
nearly half are Hispanic and half are
Native American, including many
Navajo-speaking English-language
learners.
Many do not have running water.
Castillo and others with no electric-
ity charge their school-issued lap-
tops with car batteries or at a rela-
tive’s house. One student has sent
her laptop on the buses to be charged
at school. This far out, internet ser-
vice is unavailable or prohibitively
expensive.
For students without home inter-
net, the buses bring USB drives
loaded with assignments and video
lessons from teachers. Some stu-
dents like Castillo eventually asked
for paper packets because of the dif-
fi culty in charging laptops.
With COVID-19 cases spiking in
New Mexico to their highest levels
yet, it is unclear when the district will
begin offering in-person classes again.
The district has a record of adapt-
ing to challenges, and a high school
graduation rate of 83% — well above
the state average — to show for it.
It has long employed a “community
school” approach in which social
workers, nurses and teachers help stu-
dents around the clock, not just during
the school day, on the theory that they
will do better academically if their
home life can be made better.
All students were issued Chrome-
books in 2019, well before the coro-
navirus outbreak. That made the shift
to distance learning easier in March
when school buildings shut down.
Other rural districts around the
country have likewise been engineer-
ing ways to connect with students
who are otherwise disengaged during
the pandemic.
In San Joaquin, California, about
30 miles west of Fresno, the Golden
Plains Unifi ed School District found
early in the pandemic that students
were out working rather than doing
schoolwork.
“We would have kids call from the
fi elds. They were picking peaches,”
said Andre Pecina, an assistant super-
intendent, who noted only 40% of
high school students were partici-
pating in distance learning. “Once
COVID happened, parents were like,
‘Let’s go to work.’”
Dear Annie: My husband during meals. Put parental con-
and I have two teenage chil- trols and locks on apps when
dren, and both of us work out possible, and maintain the right
of the home. We try hard to be to conduct random searches of
engaged in our children’s lives their call log, email and apps.
and be aware of everything Have your children sign a con-
they’re doing. As work-
tract that enforces esca-
ing parents, it’s not
lating punishment, such
DEAR
easy, but we try hard.
as a 24-hour period
ANNIE
As our children
without their phone for
have become teenag-
the fi rst infraction, 48
ers, we’ve noticed them
hours for the second, 72
hours for the third, etc.
becoming increasingly
You may do all this
more addicted to their
in a positive way. Let
phones. We’ve set all
them know that you
types of guard rails
around screen time, ANNIE LANE are going to give them
Creators
independence to use
acceptable apps and
Syndicate Inc.
their phones but hold
taking their phones into
them accountable to
their bedrooms. They
listened much better when they using them in a mature and
fi rst received their phones. thoughtful way. Have a con-
Lately, they’ve been exploiting versation about cyberbullying,
every opportunity to abuse the phone etiquette and the dangers
of posting or sending messages
rules.
My husband and I have without understanding long-
tried to crack down, but we’re term implications. Encour-
just not able to constantly be age your children to commu-
alert. We know it’s important nicate openly with you about
to crack down, so I wanted to any issues they may have or
reach out and see if you have anything that is making them
any advice. Thank you. — Con- uncomfortable. Good luck!
Dear Annie: My only child,
fused About Cellphones
Dear Cellphones: First, “Frank,” died unexpectedly
I applaud you for your focus on July 14, 2019. He was 34
on this issue. Since you both years old. I want to tell all par-
work, it makes sense for your ents who worry that they don’t
kids to have cellphones so you get to see their adult children
can communicate with them often enough to appreciate
as needed. However, screen each moment with their happy
time can be a serious issue that and healthy children. The pain
impacts social development, of losing a child will never go
communication skills, school- away or ease. So, even though
work and many other import- you may not see them as often
ant areas. Other issues includ- as you want, treasure each
ing cyberbullying can arise as moment. — Still Hurting
Dear Still Hurting: I can
well.
You and your husband feel the — very understand-
should begin by staying fi rm able — pain in your letter and
on your rules for cellphone am so very sorry you lost your
use. Also, there should be no son. You highlight an important
cellphones in their bedrooms, message: Be grateful for each
particularly at night, or at the day, and each day spent with a
dining table. In fact, phones loved one. Life is a gift to be
should be silenced or turned off treasured.
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