Online learning is going to be a reality for months to come in the U.S. since we’ve been unable to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. If we’re not vigilant over the next few months, some American kids will lose an entire school year of in-person learning at the time when it’s most important.

Broadband access in the U.S. isn’t something most of us think about very often unless we don’t have it. And those of us who live in cities or suburbs with pricey infrastructure don’t even realize that millions of people in our own country don’t have reliable access to the Internet. Some have no access at all.

The FCC reports that 19 million Americans – that’s 6% of our population! – lack fast and reliable broadband access. It’s even worse in rural areas where nearly 1/4 of the population (14.5 million people) just can’t get online.

The “digital divide” is enormous – and it’s something we should care about.

It’s not always a matter of being able to afford an Internet package – in many cases, the infrastructure simply doesn’t exist in places to deliver it. (That’s regardless of whether or not people have access to devices.)

This inequality of access is causing many students to drop out of high school and college.

But younger kids have no choice. Their parents are legally obligated to get them an education.

So what happens when a child needs to get online to take a class, turn in an assignment, or do homework in areas with no reliable Internet access?

Well, they might end up walking around looking for free WiFi just to meet their basic educational needs.

In late August of 2020, California Senate President Kevin de León tweeted a photo of two young students doing their homework on the sidewalk outside of a Taco Bell.

“This is California, home to Silicon Valley … but where the digital divide is as deep as ever,” he pointed out.

Two students sit outside a Taco Bell to use Wi-Fi so they can ‘go to school’ online.

This is California, home to Silicon Valley…but where the digital divide is as deep as ever.

Where 40% of all Latinos don’t have internet access. This generation deserves better. pic.twitter.com/iJPXvcxsLQ

— Kevin de Leόn (@kdeleon) August 28, 2020

The photo went viral immediately, partly because so many people were surprised to realize this was a problem for so many and embarrassed to have overlooked the issue.

“The digital divide is very real, and delays in receiving needed technology are a statewide concern, we are grateful the state is making technology a priority and look forward to receiving these hotspots in our district,” Amy Ish, president of the Salinas City Elementary School District’s board of education told NBC News after she was asked about the photo.

The district told NBC News that they were able to get wireless hot spots for the family after the photo circulated.

And while a crowdfunding campaign raised money for them – which is wonderful – offers to buy the kids desks and chairs for the home once again failed to take into account the living situations of poor Americans. There was simply no room in their home to put those desks.

Of course, the bigger question is: what about the rest of the children?

Giving two kids Internet access is not enough when millions more are falling behind and leaving school altogether.

What about kids who live in rural areas where there’s no free WiFi because there aren’t big chain restaurants or stores that offer it?

It’s not safe to cram kids and teachers into schools the same way we did a year ago. People will get ill, they’ll have permanent health issues, and many will die from COVID-19.

Equal Internet access is a hard problem to solve, but it’s not impossible once you accept there’s a problem, raise awareness of it, and get to work on building infrastructure and ensuring access to it in areas that have long been forgotten.

But we have to do it now if we don’t want to sacrifice a generation’s educational opportunities.

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Source: FCC Report on Broadband Access, The Hill, NBC News, Washington Post