Los Angeles Times reporter Paloma Esquivel summarized her new article titled, “A generation left behind? Online learning cheats poor students, Times survey finds” in this brutal thread outlining how California is failing the state’s neediest students with online schooling.
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We wanted to know the impact of school closures on students. So we surveyed 45 districts and found deep inequities that left some students in low-income communities with little to no education while those from more affluent ones often quickly moved online https://t.co/5SyOESZVVH
— Paloma Esquivel (@palomaesquivel) August 13, 2020
During the first round of closing in the spring, some students were asked to access their online schooling via cellphones:
Maria Viego, 10, a Coachella Valley student, tried using a cellphone to access her online class, but the connection kept dropping. She did worksheets but struggled to understand the work. Now, as school starts again online, she tells her mom she worries about staying behind.
— Paloma Esquivel (@palomaesquivel) August 13, 2020
More affluent districts, however, had better outcomes:
Cooper Glynn, 9, in Las Virgenes Unified, which serves a more affluent area, had a district-issued computer and internet at home. His virtual classes were running within days of campus closing. Even with school continuing online his mom feels “fully confident” in his education.
— Paloma Esquivel (@palomaesquivel) August 13, 2020
But with months to prepare, an estimated 700,000 students statewide still need computers and 300,000 need hotspots:
As the new school year begins, more than 700,000 K-12 students in California are still in need of computers and more than 300,000 are in need of internet hot spots.
— Paloma Esquivel (@palomaesquivel) August 13, 2020
And, economically, it’s getting worse:
The hardships faced by many low-income families have only worsened in the last five months, with Latino and Black working-class communities uniquely devastated by the coronavirus.
— Paloma Esquivel (@palomaesquivel) August 13, 2020
This piece warns of a lost generation and, sadly, that’s probably correct:
Meanwhile, families with resources are finding ways to get their children back on track, forming multi-family learning pods and hiring tutors, while financially struggling families are desperate for child care and more learning assistance for their children.
— Paloma Esquivel (@palomaesquivel) August 13, 2020
Gov. Newsom should answer for this:
“What COVID-19 has done, it has pulled back the covers on the gross inequities that exist in our society," said UCLA education professor Tyrone Howard. https://t.co/5SyOESZVVH
— Paloma Esquivel (@palomaesquivel) August 13, 2020
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