Tessa Sommerauer
Thur. April 7th, 2026

In my high school, you can’t tell what time it is. Whether it’s a sunny day or a storm is coming, the classrooms always look the same: a dull, flickering yellow. The blinds are heavy and always closed, blocking out the world before it can even reach our desks.

​

School teachers say they close the blinds to help us "focus." They claim natural light is a distraction or makes it hard to see computer screens. But really, these closed blinds represent something deeper: the way adults try to "protect" us by hiding the truth.

Keeping the blinds closed isn't actually about the sun; it’s about control. Many adults believe teenagers are "not old enough to understand" how complicated or harsh the real world is. By shutting the blinds, the school creates a bubble where the messy, difficult truths of the world are kept outside.

In this story, teen voices are like the natural light. We notice things, we ask questions, and we don't just accept things "the way they are." When a student points out a mistake in a textbook or asks about an unfair rule, that voice hits the room like a bright beam of sunlight. It’s sharp and honest, and it makes people who prefer the old, quiet ways feel very uncomfortable.

​

To stop the "glare" of these honest opinions, the school turns on the artificial light. This represents the "correct" opinion, the simple, safe stories that adults have decided are okay for kids to hear.

Artificial light is easier for the school because:

• It’s predictable: It never changes.

• It’s safe: It avoids any "hot" or difficult topics.

• It’s simple: It lets you see your book, but it doesn't let you see the big picture.

By relying on this fake glow, schools show us a version of reality that is easy to manage but missing the most important parts. It teaches us how to follow a script, but not how to live in the real world.

People, and their ideas, aren't meant to grow in the dark. By forcing students to work behind closed blinds, society is teaching us to be afraid of the truth. It suggests that the only information worth knowing is the kind that adults can turn on and off with a switch.

Education shouldn't be about hiding the world from students. Instead of worrying about "distractions," schools need to realize that the outside world is exactly what we need to learn about. To truly prepare us for the future, schools must be willing to pull the cord, open the blinds, and let the real light back in.