Interviewer
Stacy Steele
Files
Abstract
This interview was conducted by Stacy Steele ’06, ’21 with Autumn Cauthen as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History on the Coronavirus Global Pandemic. Cauthen, a Rock Hill resident and parent of two children in the Rock Hill School District, discusses her family’s experiences with virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her children, a sixth grader at Castle Heights Middle School and a ninth grader at Rock Hill High School, attended school entirely virtually during the 2020–2021 academic year. Cauthen explains the family’s decision to choose virtual learning, citing concerns about exposing older family members to COVID-19 and the desire to spend holidays with extended family.
Cauthen discusses the challenges her children faced with virtual learning, including the transition from elementary to middle school, adapting to new technology, managing assignments independently, and the social isolation experienced by her high school-aged child. She describes the difficulties of balancing homeschooling responsibilities and supporting her children while also noting the availability of teachers, counselors, and other resources provided by the school district. Cauthen expresses uncertainty about the effectiveness of virtual education and concern about its potential long-term effects on students’ academic development and future educational experiences.
The interview also addresses COVID-19 safety protocols in the Rock Hill School District, including mask requirements, social distancing, classroom barriers, and scheduling practices. Cauthen reflects on students’ ability to adapt to changing circumstances and the importance of self-motivation, responsibility, and learning to cope with uncertainty. Notable topics include COVID-19, virtual learning, public health precautions, education, parenting, socialization, student development, and the potential long-term effects of the pandemic on students and the educational system.
Stacy Steele, the interviewer, is a social studies teacher at Lancaster High School and earned her B.A. and M.A. degrees in History from Winthrop University.
Publication Date
10-7-2020
Unique Identifier
OH 722
Format
MP4
Length
00:08:25
Restrictions
Open under the rules and regulations of the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop University
Keywords
COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020, Parenting, Education, Virtual Learning, Rock Hill School District
Recommended Citation
Autumn Cauthen, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Education, "Interview with Autumn Cauthen - OH 722" (2020). Winthrop University Oral History Program. OH 722.
https://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/oralhistoryprogram/639