On March 12, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear recommended that all school superintendents in Kentucky cease in-person classes for an extended period of time beginning March 16. In the blink of an eye, physical connections were shoved aside and replaced with digital ones. Where does this leave students with little to no access to technology?
Students in rural Appalachia already experience repercussions of the digital divide due to reasons out of their control, such as lack of reliable internet. A new study from Common Sense Media has revealed that over a third of Kentucky students don’t have adequate internet access. Several internet service providers such as Comcast and Charter Communications have made service available to students, which is a welcome measure, but it usually is only available for a short timeframe, typically only 60 days. Once this period ends, students are left without a way to complete schoolwork, entertain themselves, or talk with friends.
In the blink of an eye, physical connections were shoved aside and replaced with digital ones. Where does this leave students with little to no access to technology?
The Appalachian Regional Commission has been working to implement the “Information Age Appalachia” program in order to lay the groundwork for a region-wide infrastructure to enable all Appalachian citizens to have access to affordable broadband internet. Their action plan states: “While much of the United States has been reaping the economic benefits of the Information Age, rural and small town Appalachia has been too often left behind. For a variety of reasons, the area substantially lacks adequate access to a robust telecommunications infrastructure. This, in turn, exacerbates the region’s geographical isolation and serves as a barrier to the economic, educational, medical and various other benefits that regions outside of Appalachia — including rural ones — have enjoyed for years.” Now that many aspects of our lives are moving online — be it school, entertainment, or commerce — many citizens of Appalachia are at a disadvantage.
Many school systems have implemented paper learning, distributing packets of work for students without internet access, but this still puts them at a disadvantage. In my classes, we had at least three Zoom calls per week. Our meetings covered necessary topics, from studying for tests to preparing for our AP exams, that were imperative for student success. This can cause the students who don’t have technology to be left out of important discussions and potentially miss crucial information. Without internet access and in-person contact, many students are left emotionally stranded, with nobody to discuss their problems or even socialize with in general. This causes teens to face unneeded feelings of social isolation and distance from their friends and peers.
Another issue that emerges from a lack of reliable internet is plans for school this fall. Many schools are considering online learning for students until schools can safely reopen. This would, once again, put students without internet access at a severe disadvantage.
Many concerns have arisen regarding the future of learning outside the classroom. Several involve a dividing line between the students: those who have technology available to them, and those who don’t. While it might be impractical to just give out free internet forever, it would be a simple solution to extend the free access until school eventually resumes in person. This could be available either in their home or at a “hotspot” in their town or city. Students who lack internet access could also learn at school with extra precautions in place to ensure social distancing until it is safe to resume in-school instruction. If effectively implemented, these procedures would ensure that all students could learn safely.
Nathan Hogg is a sophomore at Rowan County Senior High School.
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