Day 46 of Governor Newsom’s “Blueprint for a Safer Economy”

I will never get out from under this pile…

Monday. 10/12/20

9:30 – 1:30 - I slept better than I have in a while. The dog starts barking so I go downstairs and take her outside.  She keeps going potty on the red-rock flower bed instead of the Astroturf and I don’t understand why. Back inside and I heat up my coffee and give the dog cheese. Then, I return to my room, get comfortable in my chair, and start grading the Group II papers from Specialty Class No. 1. I listen to Martinis and Your Money; PBS Newshour segments; The Daily; What a Day; Fresh Air; Crime Junkie; and Dating Diaries while I work.

11:00 – 12:00 - L is awake so I ask her to airdrop my Welcome audio file for my new 8-week class into Canvas.  I prepare an email for the students, welcoming them and reminding them that class starts on Monday.  I attach the syllabus and the 6-minute audio file to the email blast and “publish” the Canvas shell. The 8-week class is officially ready, although it is missing some important pieces of class content that I still have to create.

Within minutes two students email me, asking “So is there Zoom?” No. I respond, “Per my instructions to you, please listen to the Audio File that I attached to your email. It contains important information.” Another student emails, “I did try to play the Audio FIle - but it wouldn’t work. That’s why I’m emailing you.” No. I respond, “Per my instructions to you, if the attached Audio file does not play, please report to Canvas and play the Audio File from that platform. It contains important information.” The student emailed back that her work schedule cannot accommodate this class. Good riddance. “Good luck with your future endeavors! Cheers!”

1:30 – 2:30 – Lunch and I have a salad and read Why Did I Get a B?

2:30-5:30 – I take the day off from Specialty Class No. 1 and continue grading papers.

5:30-6:30 – I heat up some tortellini that I  froze over a week ago and read Why Did I Get a B?

6:30 – 7:00 – Shower. Dress in my Covid-19 uniform.

7:00-8:00 – I do a 40-minute yoga/Pilates work out.

8:00-9:00 – L finishes grading the Constitution essays.  There were 13  submissions and she took notes on each essay. She did a wonderful job, better than anything I could have done. And I’ve paid dearly for it. Literally.

9:00-11:00 – I FINALLY finish grading the papers from Specialty Class No. 1. I think I hate the Handmaid’s Tale now.

One of my students is unhappy with her grade and emails me that her parents would not allow her to watch the Handmaid’s Tale series because it contained “sexual content inappropriate for children.” [Note: the series has won numerous Emmys] As a result, she was only able to write her perspective from the text and thus feels like she was at a disadvantage. She says that she is 15 and demands that I provide an alternative assignment for her to complete. The student is getting a 98% in the class.

I respond immediately, informing her that both the series and the text were assigned 10 weeks ago and noted on the Syllabus. Why are you just now informing me about this problem, AFTER I graded your assignment? Additionally, I told the student that a memoir was also assigned - Behind the Beautiful Forevers - and that paper is due in a few weeks. If her parents hated the Handmaid’s Tale, I told the student they sure as s—t are going to hate this book, especially in light of it’s graphic portrayal of poverty AND sex occurring in the slums of Mumbai. BTW - the author of this book won a Pulitzer prize.

Can we say “censorship?” I will forfeit my job of 20 years as an adjunct instructor before I ban a book in my class. I mean that, too. I told the student that since she is a minor child and under the care of her parents, I recommend that she drop immediately, adding that there is still time to drop with a W. She emails back and says the next text is fine and she will stay in the class. L. calls bull-s—t on this entire exchange and says there’s no way the student is 15.

11:00-2:00 – I post grades to the online gradebook and spend the rest of the evening scanning the papers to the students. Shockingly, my scanner is still functioning. I listen to episodes of Spooked while I work.

2:00-3:00 – Night time routine. Bed