PHX Reporter

Even a straight A-plus Phoenix student struggles with the difficulties of remote learning and communicating with teachers, her mother said.

For others, things are much worse. A new survey from the CDC revealed that many people are struggling with mental health issues related to COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the 40.9% of survey respondents who reported at least one mental health condition, 31% suffered from anxiety or depression symptoms, 26% experienced trauma or stressor-related symptoms, 13% experienced an increase in substance abuse, and 11% said that suicidal thoughts were present in the last 30 days, CNN reported.

Stay-at-home mom and business owner, Jessica Olsen, discussed with PHX Reporter her daughter's own struggles with online courses from home as a freshman in high school.

"We've had some tears because there's frustration in learning what the teachers expect and learning how to communicate with them because these are brand new teachers working at a brand new school," Olsen said.

Olsen mentioned that at the end of the school year they had built a rapport with her daughter's teachers. But it's hard to do that right now with new teachers and not being face to face.

"This is all new and it's frustrating. It's really hard to see her. She's a straight-A plus student and she has caught in a couple of grades that she's not used to getting," Olsen said.

Not only is online learning preventing Olsen's daughter from getting the grades she is used to, but it is also undoubtedly affecting her confidence and eating habits.

"Healthy eating and her confidence diminished and her drive and wanting to be at school is diminishing because it's online and not in person, and she's having a hard time communicating with the teachers because they're really not," Olsen said.

Olsen continues to be an advocate in the state of Arizona and believes that it's all about families having a choice of what's best for them.

"I just would hope that they could put politics aside, agendas aside and really concentrate on what's best for the students. Not being in person may not be what's best for all of them right now. That's why I am advocating for choices," Olsen said.