I was reading an article talking about COVID-19 also being airborne, making the indoors more risky, and it suggested schools could help combat this by opening windows, and I was like "Wait. You guys had/have WINDOWS in your classrooms?" 1/?

Because at my high school, there were walls. Big concrete walls. Okay, yes, there were windows. Small ones near the ceiling that you couldn't see out of & didn't open. This was also a brand-new school when I attended, mind you. So this wasn't unfinished; it was by design. 2/?

At the time, we were told the reason for this design was so that we wouldn't "get distracted" during class. Because heaven forbid a student look outside for a few moments. The horror!

3/?

In hindsight, I'm convinced the design was actually to combat the threat of an active shooter on the school campus. The doors to all the classrooms were also metal & heavy AF, and we had gates surrounding the entire school.

4/?

This was over a decade ago, too. I have no idea what precautions have been implemented into new and existing architecture since, but I doubt "more windows" has become a common theme. I could be wrong.

5/?

My university was different. Lots of windows. Most opened, too. All that natural light blew apart my claustrophobia, but replaced it w/ a sense of vulnerability.

That's what happens when you're raised to be afraid at school. You see windows as an entry point for violence.

6/?

When it's hammered into you from elementary on up that YOU ARE NOT SAFE, you start to long for big concrete walls. Heavy metal doors. No windows. Gates around school.

You want to feel safe. You deserve to feel safe.

7/?

But now the danger isn't JUST outside the classroom.

It's here, inside the room with you, all the time. Invisible. And all those protections meant to ward against a shooter aren't going to do anything against an airborne virus.

This is the new reality.

8/?