By Ryan Man

On September 20th, 2024, Shanghai American School (SAS) bore witness to the impending threat of Typhoon Bebinca. With China issuing a red typhoon warning, airplane flights were canceled, making SAS college counselor Mr. O’Brien anxious that he would not be able to catch his flight to the U.S. On top of that, the typhoon was so strong that teachers were forced to stay home, conducting their teacher meetings online. Not everyone liked it—current high school social studies teacher Mr. Gross mentioned how it reminded him of the distance learning days during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Unlike the other resilient buildings that endured only a few scratches, SASpd’s baseball stadium suffered the most from the storm’s wrath. Once sturdy, the stadium became a distorted mess, like a contortionist in action. While Mr. Bates might have appreciated the abstract “art” of the damaged structure, varsity baseball players were less amused. The players needed this space to practice and prepare for APAC. This was frustrating for current varsity baseball captain Vincent Wang, as he and his band of merry men were relocated to the elementary school gym.

Not only was this mishap problematic for the baseball players, it also altered the bus schedule for students and teachers. Then, people had to follow a staggered bus schedule, frustrating high school students like Bertie, who mourned the loss of his early morning breaks. 

With students unable to get home in a timely manner and SASpd’s baseball stars repositioned as elementary students, the question arises: should distance learning be the norm during such severe weather?