Well my week started well, but it went down hill from there.
On Wednesday I had a really horrible zoom bomber incident where a student (or students?) from my class shared our zoom link, and the exact log-in names of several students so that people not in my class could log in under the names of students already in the class and wreak havoc.
It started with random sounds, so I set it so no one could unmute themselves. Then they went to the chat to say some horrible racist hateful things (whatever you are imaging, it is worse). I thought my chat was set to “host only” so it took me five seconds to realize all the kids could see what was bring written there. When I think about my students reading that shit it just shatters me.
When I closed down the whole meeting and sent them a private link to rejoin, the zoom bombers were back. Clearly someone in my class at that moment was participating.
At one point someone joined the second meeting on the private link with a name I recognized – a former student whose brother still goes to the school. So either the former students or his brother (using former student’s device) was involved. I’ve asked admin to follow up with the parents but nobody seems to really give a shit. This happened on Wednesday and I don’t think the parents have even been called yet.
I am so fucking tired of this shit. I’m so tired of teaching to an array of black boxes. I’m so tired of not knowing who is harassing me and my students because they can do so anonymously (students should have to log in wit their school accounts but there were so many problems with that at the beginning of the year that we just gave up on that requirement, which is why now anyone can log onto any of our meetings at anytime. It’s ridiculous). I just want this school year to be over and things to go back to normal in the fall.
I’m still processing what happened and how unsupported I feel in the aftermath. On Wednesday I took a sleep aid and went to bed at 9:30pm. I was an emotional wreck so there was no point in trying to be productive. On Thursday I felt a little better but I was stressed the whole time I met with that class again (even though I had the whole meeting shut down – no one could unmute or chat or rename or anything). I was already counting the days until the end of the year, but now I’m counting the minutes on zoom.
I’ve been teaching for 17 years and now the worst two experiences of my career have happened in the past 6 months. I AM SO FUCKING DONE. I just want to fast forward to June 11th. It cannot get here fast enough.
Oh no! How awful! I am so sorry the school hasn’t done anything!
I am SO sorry this happened – beyond awful and there’s also nothing you could have done to prevent it. 🙁
I teach the remote class for my grade and usually have one or two “guests” from the in-person class who need to be remote that day. Today a girl joined and her name (first name only) was the name of someone in the in-person class so I let her in but then I texted the in-person teacher and learned that the girl was in school. The girl in Zoom then unmuted and politely informed me that she was actually in the wrong link. I still have NO idea who she was or how she got the link! :-/ It didn’t lead to anything bad but it reminded me that my “security” (only letting in names of people I know, like you do) is not actually secure. So glad this is almost behind us…
I am so very sorry for you and horrified the school isn’t taking action. The school’s failure to act in the face of racism implies, to me, that the school administrators are supporting such actions and opinions. Particularly as you have a possible suspect name as a starting point.
Are any districts around you hiring that are within commute range and affordability to change districts? Know you have looked before. Depressing and SO VERY discouraging.
UGH. I’m so sorry you are dealing with this. I hope you get some support from your administration, although it’s sounding like you didn’t? That’s pretty messed up.
That’s awful. I am so sorry for you and your students. I’m so glad this school year is almost over for you!
That’s utterly disgusting and disquieting that they were so intent on disrupting your class that they came back in again even with the private link. What’s wrong with these people??
I’m so sorry.