The New Jersey Department of Education has decreed that students redo the past three years, claiming, “kids haven’t learned or done anything,” as grades dropped with installments of virtual learning.

The drastic decline in grades is partially attributed to the students sleeping in their classes. If students left their cameras on, it is easy for the teachers because then they know that their students are awake, but if their cameras were off, there is a chance that the students were asleep. Even for some who left their cameras and mics on, one could hear the students snoring.

The rise of cyber-bullying over Zoom has also distracted students, which prevents them from focusing on their classwork and homework, according to the NJ Department of Education. 

Diya Vaid, a senior at Woodbridge High School, who has a GPA of 1.2, on a scale of 4, says, “I been learned at Woodbridge. Don’t tell me what I ain’t know who you is you not me mum.” 

Some teachers see this as an ability for students to start fresh and several parents are also in agreement with this. 

In response to this decision made by the state Department of Education, Mr. Switek, an English teacher at WHS, said, “Kids are the worst. I want them to continuously go through high school like a time loop that they cannot escape.” 

One student’s perspective is from Brianna Paone, a senior at WHS, with a perfect GPA and a full academic scholarship to Rutgers, who said, “This is unbelievable. I worked too hard for this and now it’s all possibly taken away.”

Staff and students at WHS have been divided and are unable to come to a consensus. The students who have been accepted to college, as well as the ones who want to be done with high school, want this decision by The Department of Education to not go through.

But, some students and staff share the same opinion as Mr. Switek.

But, trying to unite, Dr. Lottman, the principal for Woodbridge High, had his response when asked in the morning, he said “Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.”