Is this learning? Local Classrooms - Part 1

Not my photo.

This is the website cover photo from my local elementary school district. This is meant to be a promotional image for back to school, showing a best case scenerio in the local elementary school in our current fear based culture. How can this be better than days at home or in the backyard?

This photo is so disturbing to me.  It is apparently the current promotional image of a healthy happy public school student. Closed off, free from any human interaction or distraction, "learning" sans human contact. Forced focus on a screen. Only a few short years ago, overuse of screen time was something that we were all concerned about. Parents were warned and encouraged to limit our children's screen time. Now it is being portrayed as the safe effective learning option. 

This child has several devices blocking her from other people and from the world. No air, no sound, no visual distractions. How will she develop the skill of focus without shutting out all stimuli? Is this really safer and what kind of future is it preparing her for? How is this student developing social emotional skills? How will she interact with others? How will she interact with the world? How will she learn to apply whatever information is being promoted on that screen? 

What have we given up?

The most striking irony to me of the photo of the student at the screen, is how the narrative has changed. It was only a few short years ago that homeschooling parents were constantly questioned about their children's socialization. Warned by family, friends and complete strangers that if their children weren't in a classroom filled with peers they'd never be able to function in society. Is this what those questions were getting at? It's a retorical question, of course, this isn't likely what they imagined a student was missing by staying home with family to learn but look how fast our concept has changed.  

As we fumble our way through by refusing to look at reality and take responsibilty for our own children, we are creating a fearful, disengaged society. If we continue down this road, I doubt the destination will be a very fulfilling place to live.