Brigid Harrington Writes “Pandemic-Caused Shift to Remote Learning Has Led to Novel Civil Rights Issues” for the New England Board of Higher Education

By Bowditch & Dewey • March 9, 2022

In March 2020, the pandemic shut down the country, and many college and university administrators predicted that civil rights complaints would plummet since students were forced into remote learning and no longer in physical or social contact with one another. However, the pandemic actually sparked novel civil rights issues relating to vaccine requirements and a rise in mental health concerns. Brigid Harrington discusses the issues currently facing higher educational institutions in her article for the New England Board of Higher Education. Here is an excerpt:

What many people initially expected would be a two-week shutdown turned into a years-long ordeal. Online learning became the default approach through the spring of 2021. Prolonged isolation, difficulties adjusting to online operations and increased anxiety about interacting with others took a huge toll on students. At the same time, social justice movements such as Black Lives Matter and #metoo occupied the national consciousness.

The student body was stuck at home, separated from in-person mental health resources and peer connections that higher education institutions typically offer. Psychological well-being among college students dropped during the spring of 2020, compared with the previous spring, according to a survey conducted by the Healthy Minds Network and the American College Health Association. Added stress and increased depression damaged academic performance, the survey found.

Continue reading the full article “Pandemic-Caused Shift to Remote Learning Has Led to Novel Civil Rights Issues” on the New England Board of Higher Education website.

Categorized: Civil Rights