You Could Be Llamas, For All I Know

I have fifty-one 7th graders in my science classes.

I have never heard most of their voices and I have seen only a handful of their faces on camera.

In a few cases, I wasn’t sure if they were male or female until someone told me. 

The vast majority of them could be llamas, for all I know.  

That’s my working hypothesis at this time.

I have at least worked with my 8th graders in person, so I know they are people. (Most of them, at least.)

I mean, to be sure, they would have to be some pretty darn talented and articulate llamas, who clearly know how to read, type and draw diagrams. (How on Earth can they do that with hooves instead of fingers?)

In any case, I have very little evidence that they are not llamas.

I did say hello to them as they passed through the halls as 6th graders, and I don’t recall any llamas walking past me, but you never really know, ya know? Maybe, I was too focused on finding 50 different ways to say hello and good morning and missed all the pack animals bundled up in their winter coats.

I have had some parent meetings where I did get to see students on camera, and they were not llamas, but that’s a pretty small sample size - not really statistically significant. 

I guess if we get back to in-person school, I’ll know for sure, but for now, I’m assuming all my students are llamas.