Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
News

A Bell High School Teacher Reflects On The Curse Of 'Interesting Times'

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

We're collecting audience stories about what it's like to live in Los Angeles during a pandemic. You can share your story here.

Friday the 13th. March 2020.

That was the last day of class for Bell High School film production and journalism teacher Roy Lansdown. Now he teaches from his front yard using videos and email, and his days run together. He misses his students.

"You know, it's just not the same — teaching kids remotely, not seeing them every day, not having that interaction — and nobody can make it the same. The district has worked real hard. Superintendent Austin Buettner has worked real hard. The teachers have worked real hard. And most of the students have been pretty darn cooperative, but you can't match the magic of the classroom."

Roy filed what is now the first of our audience diaries. You can watch it above.

"This is a strange time to live," he says. And indeed, still scrawled on his whiteboard at school is the daily quote he used on that last day of class:

"May you live in interesting times."

While Roy refers to the quote as a "Chinese curse," its origin is
Sponsored message
unknown. But if these are "interesting" times, then we don't want them, either.

Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today