There are times in history when significant events happen. When these events happen, they have a way of sticking with us for the rest of our lives. They create a lasting memory where we never forget them. What makes these events significant is not only do you remember the event, but you also remember where you were and what you were doing. We call these flashbulb events. Here are some flashbulb events in history:
December 7, 1941
April 4, 1968
July 20, 1969
January 28, 1986
November 9, 1989
March 19, 1995
September 11, 2001
November 4, 2008
June 25, 2009
If these dates create a flashbulb moment for you, drop your response in the comment section.
March 12, 2020 is a day that many people in Indiana will remember. Beginning around 3:00 p.m. that day, I had seen rumblings on social media that this would happen. Around 3:30, it was shared that the Governor of Indiana and Mayor of Indiana’s capital would do a joint press conference. From a political standpoint, I do not remember the last time our Governor or Mayor did anything together. It was around 4:45 p.m. EST, and something happened that I never believe would. School, all school buildings in the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana were closed. The closure was intended to be a couple of weeks as health officals began to try to contain a growing global pandemic that we had already lost control of at that moment. I was sitting in my office because we had both our girl’s and boys’ basketball teams practicing in the gym. After all, we had our final game of the seasons scheduled for the next week. I will remember that moment and that feeling for the rest of my life. I decided to ask others where they were when the school buildings shut down:
Max Glenn
My last in person grad school class session ever. It was a class on Literacy Interventions (OG) and the dyslexic brain at Marian University. Taking deep breaths. Texting a co-worker.
Michael Oden:
I was attempting to begin donating plasma again.
Leila Champion:
I was home from spring break from Notre Dame.
Jamarro Johnson:
At (The Success Center Eastside) getting told the same thing. Immediately trying to process what this meant for my residents and my programs.
Dr. VaShawn Smith:
Setting up meetings for teachers to plan possible two weeks of virtual learning after spring break that started on Friday, March 13, 2020. Needless to say, we didn’t have students back in the building again until October 26, 2020.
Sammy Jacobs:
Banging my head against the wall at home because I lost out a sweet long term sub position; however, the silver lining is I landed where I’m at now. But it sure was frustrating.
It is crazy to think that it was a year ago today when everything flipped on its head. I have learned so much about myself as a person and as an educator. There are lessons I have learned over the past year that I will carry with me moving forward. I pray for all those who were impacted or lost loves ones during this year. I pray for those still battling symptoms and other long-term health conditions.
Share with us where you were when school buildings shut down last year.