Many of us think that Internet is a basic necessity, but it is really a luxury that we are privileged to have. Internet today keeps us in the loop of what is happening all across the globe. It provides us with knowledge, thus it can provide us with power.
Access to Internet is a privelege, and contrary to popular belief, not everyone can afford it.
Yet there are many students across the United States who are falling behind because they lack the resources the Internet has to offer. In McAllen, Texas, three Latino students have to stand close to the ground of their school to have connectivity to the public Internet. They stand facing the small screens of their phones to complete their homework. This is a reality for many other families in the United States.
Today there is a great push in having a majority or coursework due through Internet. However, this does not take into consideration the approximate 5 million families who do not have Internet at home or who are severely struggling to keep it.
Some individuals are calling this the homework gap, in which students will crowd libraries, restaurants, school buses and other form of community spaces that offer free Internet. This divide is something that affects students. In poverty stricken communities there are sometimes buses that offer Wi-Fi, and to many students it is the only time in which they can complete online homework.
Students retreive Wifi in public spaces, such as restaurants and coffee shops
There is a conversation on supplying a more affordable rate of Internet for economically troubling families and minorities. This is an essential act when we look at how important Internet has become in our school systems. Most children and youth now have physical and online homework and when your family cannot afford Internet, one must go out and search for it to perform adequately in school. Education is supposed to be a free and fundamental right. As a country it should be equitable for all, so we should either find a way to provide Internet for all or stop relying in the heavy usage of technology for coursework.
Remember: Internet is a privelege because education is a disparity of opportunities in the United States.
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