No internet, no choice? OS schools change course after family denied virtual learning

Jul. 21--On the evening of July 15, Allison-- filled out the application for her son, a student at Upper Elementary School in Ocean Springs, to learn virtually in the fall. On the form, she explained that she has diabetes, her husband has high blood pressure, and their son, who has autism, frequently touches his face. If he went to school, she would be constantly afraid he might contract COVID-19 and bring it home.

She reached a seemingly innocuous question: Do you have internet at home?

Since the pandemic began this March, Allison's hours at the gas station where she works as a cashier had been cut. So had her husband's hours at the pharmacy. They were behind on rent and their electricity bill. Paying for internet was out of the question. She checked the box for no.

A message appeared on the screen: Because she had checked "no," she couldn't submit the application. Virtual learning, it seemed, was only for families that could afford to provide their own internet.

"I feel like because I don't have a lot of money, I don't have a choice to protect my child," Allison said in an interview Friday morning.

Allison's experience highlights the unprecedented challenges facing families and school districts as they seek to educate children during the worst public health crisis in a century. Every seeming solution brings new problems. For example, the robust online learning platform Ocean Springs is providing to students with medical concerns ensures the virtual option will be more comparable to on-campus learning, but it requires a strong internet connection for hours every weekday.

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Poor families, as always, will likely bear the brunt of the challenges. They are less likely to have internet access at home, and low-paying jobs often require people to be in close contact with colleagues and the public, increasing their risk of exposure.

And school districts, like parents, are in uncharted territory, struggling to anticipate every problem and need that will arise.

By mid-day Friday, after the Sun Herald spoke with Superintendent Bonita Coleman, the virtual learning application form had been changed so that families can submit it even if they don't have internet access. Coleman said she had not known that the form could only be submitted if a family indicated they had internet.

And schools will work with families to provide free or affordable internet access, Coleman said.

"As we go through this, everyday there's a new problem that we have to find a solution to," she said.

'I'm just kind of stuck'

After being unable to submit the form on July 15, Allison stayed up wondering what to do. In the spring, the school district had provided a Chromebook and internet hotspot for Allison's son. She had assumed that would be available this semester as well.

The next day, she called Upper Elementary. She spoke with Principal Jennifer Necaise, who told her the district would provide a Chromebook again, but it couldn't help with internet access.

Eventually, Allison says, Necaise suggested a possible solution. If the family had a vehicle, they could drive to a restaurant or facility with public Wifi, and sit in the car to use it during the school day.

But they don't have a car. Allison's husband takes an Uber to and from work, which costs about $30 a day.

"I try to feel for them as well," Allison said, referring to Ocean Springs administrators. "I'm sure there just as stressed, just as worried. But when you have a situation like this, you have to think about everybody in the community. You can't just think about the people that have money."

After that conversation, Allison couldn't see any option besides sending her son to school?.

But that raised new fears. What if her son had to quarantine? She and her husband would have to quarantine, too. What would happen to their jobs?

"I'm just kind of stuck," she said. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

'A learning experience'

After speaking with Allison Friday morning, the Sun Herald talked with Coleman about the district's plans for families who want virtual learning but don't have internet access.

Coleman said the district had provided hotspots for 57 families in the spring. They decided not to offer that for the fall after some of the hotspots were used for purposes other than school work. The district had also concluded that providing internet connections for families would not be an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.

Coleman said the district would provide instructions for using cell phones as a hotspot, as well as information about discounts available from local internet providers. She urged parents like Allison to contact their principals to discuss their needs.

"It's time for us to start looking for donors or someone else that can assist the family," she said.

Coleman asked the Sun Herald to share her cell phone number with Allison. The two spoke on the phone. Coleman had the online application form changed so that it can be submitted regardless of the answer to the question about internet access, and told Allison she and her principal would work out an internet solution.

Coleman also said she will use a $2,000 honorarium to purchase hotspots for families who need the virtual learning option but don't have internet.

"If there is a need, we can meet that need," Coleman said.

On Friday afternoon, Allison was relieved.

"So much stress is gone," she said.

But the story is not over. Questions of access and equity in education are sure to continue for months.

"I think it's going to be one of those things where they'll address the situation when it comes up," Allison said. "Because there are so many possibilities that could happen that they don't even know where to start. It's a learning experience for everybody."

*Allison spoke with the Sun Herald on the condition that she be identified with a pseudonym, in order to protect her son from possible repercussions at school.

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