This is an open letter to all cable and internet providers,

You have a very real opportunity to become monumental heroes in this pandemic world that we’re now living in. Today, as we approach the middle of summer in 2020, every school system across our country is scrambling to determine which direction in educational learning they’re going to pursue. The majority of which, I suspect, will offer at least some type of avenue for online learning.

But Houston, we have a problem. Many parts of our country, have little to no internet access. And what little there is, is a.) sketchy at best, and b.) ridiculously expensive.

I live in the heart of the Arkansas Delta. We’re located in Eastern Arkansas, less than an hour from the Mississippi River to our East, and Little Rock just over an hour and a half to our West. The two major school systems in our area have just announced their plans for this upcoming school year. One, is offering two options: either a total on campus (traditional) setting with all face-to-face teaching, or a total online setting. The other, again offering two options, but with a variation. One, is a blended option, which is on campus attendance, but with both face-to-face AND digital learning, and Two, a total online setting. I suspect this will be extremely similar as one scans across America this fall.

Herein lies the problem. Many of the homes in our area, as I would imagine closely resemble the rest of the country, simply cannot get internet service because very little coverage is offered, and what is, is honestly un-affordable. What is a family to do, when they feel it’s best to keep their children at home, and participate in the online classroom setting, but can’t get or can’t afford internet service? The school systems are truly thinking out-of-the-box and scheduling free wi-fi hot spots throughout the community at different times through the week. Here’s how that works: the school has turned one of their school buses into a mobile hot spot, and will park in different parking lots for limited times during the week. The parents or students can then go to that parking lot to access the wi-fi. I admit, again, that this is a wonderful idea, but let’s get serious, how many of our children are going to get any education sitting in a car for a couple of hours, a couple of times per week on their computers attempting to ‘have school’? And what happens when the mobile hot spots are only available during normal day hours of say, 8:00am to 5:00pm, and that happens to be the exact schedule of hours that both parents work? Trust me, rural America needs your help!

Please, I’m begging you, use the technology and talents that you have access to, and be the heroes to countless parents that just want to keep their children safe! Bring free (or at least affordable) internet services to rural America! Please remember the economical strapped regions of our country, ie: the Delta regions of Arkansas and Mississippi, the Appalachians, the Native American reservations, etc. Poverty in many of these area are extremely high, but that shouldn’t erase the fact that parents in these area should be allowed the same playing field as parents in higher populated communities and urban America in providing for their children. Please make this happen…as soon as possible.

It’s your turn. All of America is watching.

Sincerely,

Every parent in America that wants the safest and best educational option for our children.