Your privilege is getting in the way of your brain

By Brooklyn Staab | Publicity Manager 

November 5, 2020

At the peak of this pandemic, students of San Clemente High School have thrown multiple events, like a fake homecoming (“foco”), Halloween parties, and so on. Despite the fact that large gatherings are not recommended by the state of California, and are extremely dangerous, some students decided that their “high school experience” was more important than other’s lives.

As of today, about 235,000 people in America alone have passed away from Covid-19, and many more live in fear. Logically, people who want life back to normal, or simply want to stay safe, are social distancing, staying in small groups, and wearing masks.  However, there are some who choose to ignore science and statistics and refuse to quarantine. 

If we want life to go back to normal, we cannot refuse to put in the work to ensure that it will. How “normal” will life be when a loved one passes away, or when there are 1.23 million less people on earth (and still counting)? 

“Everyone’s pro-life until it comes to teenage partying during a pandemic,” junior Molly Clark said. “It’s natural selection,” junior Grace Giranda added. 

At a time where students across the district have been returning to school, throwing parties is definitely not what we need. School safety precautions have been, in some eyes, extreme—like the wearing of masks at all times, arrows directing what ways you can and cannot walk, and socially distanced seats. However, in a time of pandemic, this is the form that school must take.

“I, like most people, don’t enjoy wearing masks, but I do anyway,” junior Alexia Gottems said. “It’s simply due to respect for everyone around me. Yes, masks can be uncomfortable but if we are required to wear them, we should. It’s simple.”

Our small and seemingly prideful beach town has a total of 584 cases so far, but we also need to consider the people who were asymptomatic or never got tested. How many have spread Covid-19 but “felt fine” the whole time?  

The Triton Times staff attempted to interview foco goers, but funnily enough, everyone who was asked refused. It’s almost as if they knew better…

Although the school may be calmly reassuring students “they do not need to do anything differently,” the reality is that we need to live differently. How many people have been in contact with someone who contracted covid and didn’t know? 

On November 3rd, 1,238 new covid cases in LA county were reported. Could this have any connection to the overpopulated parties on Halloween last weekend? Possibly would be an understatement. Just in San Clemente, multiple indoor parties on October 31st held an uncomfortable amount of kids, and surprise, most of them attended without a mask.  

Some say that “it won’t affect me, I’m healthy,” but this argument is privileged and ignorant. People who say this are often not those who can’t afford tomorrow night’s dinner after juggling two jobs, those with a pregnant family member/young children vulnerable to disease, or those living with an elderly parent/grandparent because there’s no other option. People who say “it’s a hoax” are able to ignore what is going on because it’s the easier option.  

That privilege of being able to ignore the scientifically proven “hoax” might make it feel easier for some, but in the end, it makes it harder for everyone. By ignoring it, this disease will only spread more. Lower-income families will suffer longer, the economy will continue to plumate, and people will continue to die.   

Now, it would be much more understandable if students who attended parties were planning on self-isolating for a few weeks, or getting covid tests. However, so many have decided to put themselves above the general public’s health once again. Students who attended to huge parties are now going to school, and possibly contaminating everyone who has put in the effort to stay safe.

So, before you come to school after that big halloween party or foco, think about the families who cannot afford to get Covid-19. Stay safe not only for yourself, but for the ones around you.