Mississippi students are finishing the school year from home because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Superintendents from the Greenwood-Leflore, Vicksburg-Warren, Moss Point and other school districts say distance learning would be easier if more students had reliable internet access.
A Thursday night virtual call hosted by the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus focused on how those issues affect minority students.
According to Pew Research Center, black students are more likely not to have internet access in their homes.
State Senator and caucus chair Angela Turner-Ford said this is a problem when classes have to be online.
“Districts can purchase or provide devices,” Turner-Ford said. “It was more of an issue of connectivity. Especially for those students who may live in more rural areas. The issue is more than about distributing or issuing a device, it’s making sure that child can access the internet once they’re in the home.”
Legislators return to the Capitol today for the first time since mid-March when the session was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Turner-Ford said she wants to make sure the voices of underserved communities are heard as legislative decisions are made.
“People have been prohibited from performing in their natural routines. And that’s affecting children who attend school and even younger. As we resume the legislative session, I want to keep all those issues in mind and make the best decision possible.”
School districts across the state will remain closed for the rest of the semester.
