In the midst of reopening during a global pandemic, WashU has tried to provide incoming and returning students with the necessary information to stay safe on campus. However, the creators of the Instagram account @washucovidiots have decided to take matters into their own hands.
The account was created in early September, leading up to the freshman move-in, in hopes of discouraging students from engaging in potentially harmful behaviors such as participating in large social gatherings, not wearing masks, and not social distancing. The account has recently been experiencing some backlash from students who feel that @washucovidiots propagates public shaming.
One comment stated, “You guys have the right idea, but are executing poorly. We’re college students. Try to make these posts and captions constructive instead of degrading”. Some students feel as though the idea of “exposing” those who aren’t following guidelines is harsh and unnecessary. Others believe that the account’s focus should be on praising students who are masking and social distancing rather than condemning those who aren’t.
All of this controversy prompted the owners of the account to make a post explaining how their goal is not to publicly shame but to hold students accountable for their actions. The owners of the account stated, “Our page is about holding people accountable, making things right by acknowledging the harm done, and educating our community about how to stay safe”. Most students, especially upperclassmen, seem to be siding with the account, as they are excited to be back on campus and do not want to risk being sent home again.
Although it may be controversial, the page has certainly sparked a conversation within the student body, which may prompt people to reconsider their actions next time they decide to leave their dorm. While @washucovidiots may be toeing the line between constructive criticism and public shaming, there is no denying the fact that students have been reevaluating their decisions to gather publicly out of fear of ending up in their next post. All that being said, having the ability to study on campus is a privilege that many other schools do not have at this time.
To make sure that we can have a full fall semester on campus here at Washu, please try your best to mask up and practice social distancing when outside of your dorm room.