'WiFi has been gone for 2-3 days straight': SF family concerned over lack of resources for distance learning

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Saturday, July 18, 2020
'WiFi has been gone for 2-3 days straight': SF family concerned over lack of resources for distance learning
Last year, a San Francisco report concluded more than 100,000 residents do not have high-speed internet access at home. This is a major concern for children likely heading into distanced learning this fall.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that all counties on the COVID-19 watch list cannot open for in-person school. This will impact 55,000 student in San Francisco alone.

"I still have to do online work, but also I have to help my kids with their work. Which is hard because one is in middle school and one is in elementary school," said parents, Alise Minor.

RELATED: What will distance learning look like? Here's what's happening with SFUSD

Single mom, Alise Minor is concerned about her kids' education. Distance learning during the pandemic was brutal for them.

"Do you think that you learned what you were supposed to in the last couple months of this school year?" we asked.

Not really," said 13-year-old, Nevaeh Sneed.

Last year, a San Francisco report concluded that more than 100,000 San Franciscans do not have high-speed internet access at home.

RELATED: While schools within California county watch list eye distance learning, some parents aren't so sure

"Wifi has been gone for 2-3 days straight. So if there is no wifi they can't do their work period. Sometimes I have to go to my mom's house, or go to another location just so they can complete their work," said Minor.

In April, the San Francisco Unified School District distributed over 5,200 devices to students. Nonprofit's like Dev/Mission also answered this call.

"Close to 100 computer since March to this point. We have also distributed over 80 tables in the Bayview/Hunters Point area with another Grant as well," said Dev/Mission's founder, Leonardo Sosa.

RELATED: Gov. Newsom announces which CA school districts can reopen in the fall amid pandemic

Sosa hopes there's a biggest push for helping more underprivileged families to have the right resources for distance learning.

"I also go back to do you have a desk? Do you have a chair? Do you have a keyboard? A mouse?," said Sosa.

As to 6-year-old Donte Mays, he's not looking forward to a new school year through a screen

"It's hard because the teachers sometimes have to help other people while we need help to," said Mays.

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