Ohio’s digital divide makes virtual learning impossible for many families in the state. This is especially true in poor and rural areas like Scioto County. I spoke with a Portsmouth mom who is having a heck of a time figuring out just how her kids are going to attend virtual class.
Some Ohio school districts opted for online classes only to start the school years. Others, like Portsmouth City Schools, offer the option of learning entirely online or a mixed schedule of in-person and virtual classes. All of these options have a virtual component which means they all require a strong Internet connection.
1 Million Without Internet Access
In many areas of the state, that’s just a given like electricity or running water. In parts of Southern Ohio, it’s not something you can take for granted. Many folks living up in the hills simply cannot get a high-speed Internet connection. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine acknowledged the issue last year and appointed Lt. Governor Jon Husted to lead the Innovate Ohio initiative. His mission: bridge Ohio’s digital divide. According to Husted, “For more than 300,000 households, which is close to 1 million Ohioans, a major barrier they face is access to high-speed internet. In parts of Ohio, there are households that lack the basic connectivity necessary for children to do homework, look for a new job, or access an online education or training programs.”
When Ohio schools went all virtual in the spring due to COVID-19, the lack of Internet access for many kids became a big problem. Portsmouth City School sent home packets with papers of work for children to complete at home and turn in. This fall, they are turning to online schooling.
I’m Not Sure How Classes Will Work
I spoke with a Portsmouth mom feeling the effects of Ohio’s digital divide on classes. She didn’t want to give her real name to protect her children’s privacy, but let’s call her ‘Ruth.’ Ruth has six kids in school and lives in a PMHA apartment. She said her only option for an Internet provider is Spectrum. The problem – Spectrum has blocked her address for connection due to bills owed by a previous tenant at the address. She’s finding it almost impossible to straighten the issue out. But she’s really not that keen on using Spectrum as she’s had bad experiences with the company in the past.
Her children are attending Portsmouth City Schools two days a week in person and three days a week virtually. And that’s a problem because she doesn’t have WiFi at home. Ruth said that she used Spectrum Internet in the past and continually had trouble with the service. ” Their internet is junk. It hardly ever works and they always have to send out a technician. They always have some reason why it doesn’t work and they charge you a fortune.”
She said her apartment complex is attempting to provide the Internet in their community room. “I am unsure how that will work with all the kids having to be logged in by 10 am on the same network. I see a lot of problems coming along with that.”
The school system and the Public Library have invited parents to park in the parking lot and use their WiFi. But that involves putting all of the kids into a car and driving them parking to sit for several hours. Not exactly an environment conducive to learning.
And for parents without reliable transportation, even that is not an option. For now, this mom says her only choice is to take her children somewhere there’s a reliable Internet connection to learn.