In mid-March, we got an email survey from my son’s school asking about the availability of internet in our house. Knowing that he was expected to do homework online all year I thought, Now you ask? I knew what was coming because I had been watching the news. I knew the kids were about to be forced onto distance learning. But what if I had answered no? What about the kids who don’t have internet service? The homes where parents choose not to and just use their cell phones? The homes that can’t afford it? I started to think more about it and although the school district had tried hard to form business relationships with businesses that provided free wifi, and advertised where students could work for free, how realistic was it? Would the businesses really let kids who didn’t have the money to buy a soda in the restaurant sit there daily? Our school busses don’t drop off at the library where internet was offered so how were they expected to get there? Were we really providing what students needed to be successful before the pandemic?

The socioeconomic digital divide is much more than just about having access though. There is a study out of Australia found here, where access to computers and internet across all socioeconomic communities is less of an issue. Universal access alone didn’t bridge the digital gap. How the computers were used still varied greatly. This is where we come in as educators. In my child’s school, computers are provided. Internet access is also available for free currently. The access has become less of an issue since March but how are we asking students to use the computers? The students in the advantaged group still had more access to physical activity and music opportunities. Is this something we can provide using our digital tools? Quaver music is just one online music curriculum many schools use. Especially during remote learning, how are we making sure that students are doing physical activity? Are we doing yoga, strength training and cardio classes over Zoom or Google Meets or are students just expected to fill out a log? Do our children have access to dance classes? If not, can we provide them online? These are the things we need to be thinking about. It’s not simply about access.