Students doing homework on phones? Give low-income schools equal access to technology | Opinion

May 17 marked the 67th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision. This landmark case made racial segregation of children in public schools unconstitutional. The date called not just for celebration, but for deep reflection, especially after a school year that has compelled us to reevaluate the resources provided to students in low-income schools, particularly those who serve predominantly Black students.

The consequences of COVID-19 left debilitating impacts on underserved areas. In the most poverty-stricken communities, limited resources during the pandemic became an issue that looked and felt akin to those we thought were eradicated after Jim Crow laws fell in the 1960s, placing another barrier in front of the schoolhouse door. Most concerning is that these issues weren’t revealed because of COVID, but exacerbated by the pandemic.

In a 2004 article, author and legal expert Peter Irons details what glaring educational disparities looked like for Black students during Jim Crow, including “hand-me-down textbooks from white schools.” Black students received learning resources that were far below par with their white, more affluent counterparts. This, along with other factors, contributed to lower graduation rates, ultimately leading to heightened poverty in Black communities.

Although Brown v. The Board of Education targeted these disparities, they persist, especially relating to technological access. Today, technology has become a basic necessity. Insufficient access is virtually the same as not having a pen and paper for school. The lack of aggressive structural change is debilitating for upward mobility and student success.

Stanford University’s School of Education warned of these issues and their impact in a 2014 case study. It revealed that, “Teachers in high-poverty schools were more than twice as likely (56 percent vs. 21 percent) to say that their students’ lack of access to technology was a challenge in their classrooms.” This study is was released almost eight years ago, but it its implications, unfortunately, are evident today.

In her April 15 Miami Herald story, “ ‘That hurts.’ Black students fail state tests in English, math, amid high graduation rates,” Colleen Wright reports that, “In 2019, just 40 percent of Black students in grades 3 through 10 passed the FSA English language arts exams compared to 61 percent of Hispanic students and 77 percent of white students.” What’s the connection to test scores and technology? The ability to practice for the assessment, have the foundational skills to perform well, engage in higher-order thinking, student engagement and even more practically — student preparation for the workforce and institutions of higher learning that demand technological proficiency.

Yes, there are many reasons that factor into the causes of this issue, but one cannot be ignored: Equitable resources do not exist across school sites. Many students lack the basic tools necessary to succeed. That success should not be stymied because of politics or technicalities. Playing the “blame game” is irrelevant; what is relevant are solutions, not promises.

Throughout the year, I have seen the disparities in technological resources firsthand — for instance, students have routinely resorted to using their phones to complete assignments. The Pew Research Center’s 2020 article affirms that about three in 10 parents — 29 percent — say that it is likely their children will have to do their schoolwork on a cellphone. Students should not have to use their personal cell phones because they don’t have devices at home or are battling with archaic, minimally functional devices at their school.

Every student deserves access to the same resources, regardless of their ZIP code. We collectively must rectify this gross inequity on every level, starting at our school system. Access to equitable technology should be at the forefront of all agendas, especially in an A-rated school district.

Kalyn Lee is the 2021 Francisco R. Walker Rookie Teacher of the Year for Miami-Dade County Public Schools. A literacy coach at Miami Edison Senior High, she serves on the Board of Coaches with the Miami Urban Debate Team, and is an adjunct instructor at Broward College in the Department of Communications.

This story was originally published May 27, 2021 at 1:38 PM.