If you had to think about a key area of life where the pandemic truly exposed the enormous divisions that already existed in this state – education would be pretty close to the top of the list.

We were already the state with the largest achievement gap in the nation. A state where half-a-million people owe more than a billion dollars in student loans. And then, in March of 2020 — teachers, students, everyone, was sent home.

In Their Own Words

Connecticut residents and experts share their perspectives with Untold.

  • “The ultimate solution out of this mess that we’ve created in higher education financing is debt cancelation.” — Cristher Estrada-Perez, executive director of the Student Loan Fund Credit: CTMirror
  • “Once I came on campus honestly my grades skyrocketed. Even though it’s my second year, I do still feel like a freshman. I feel like it’s a fresh start.” — Wilmalis Rodriguez, UConn sophomore Credit: CTMirror
  • “I hear people talking about how high school is this big thing, but I feel like it’s kind of just disappeared, like a big chunk of it.” — Ben Bowersett, E.O. Smith High School sophomore Credit: CTMirror
  • “As many negative things that happened, there were some skills that they gained from being online, like time management. There was a lot more expected of them.” — Sabrina Bowersett, educator and mother of three Credit: CTMirror
  • We have to recognize that the last year and a half for these students has been unlike anything anyone prior to them has experienced.” — Sue Brigandi, 5th grade teacher at Smith Elementary in New Britain Credit: CTMirror
  • “The COVID journey I think was traumatic both for students and teachers alike. It kind of tore apart the foundation of what we as educators have relied on for so long.” — Sheena Graham, retired this year from Harding High in Bridgeport Credit: CTMirror

This episode, we visit with three UConn students who transitioned out of high school during the pandemic. And Jeniece Roman talks with teachers and families around Connecticut about surviving lockdown in the K-12 system.

John and Mercy talk with Cristher Estrada-Perez of the Student Loan Fund about the generational burden of educational debt.

Organizations featured in this episode:

Challenge assumptions, seek understanding, leave nothing untold. In each episode of Untold we will pass the microphone from the policymakers to the people, connecting with Connecticut’s communities to reframe familiar stories and explore those left untold.