[Newsweek] The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted disparities throughout our country in issues from health care to education. As we seek to address these disparities, we need to prioritize closing existing gaps in access to high-speed internet, particularly for rural and underserved communities.......and a pony.
When it comes to education, far too many of our nation's students are living without basic broadband internet connections. Today, this lack of access adversely impacts more than 20 million Americans, including 600,000 in my home state of South Carolina. After the onset of COVID-19 closed schools and libraries that typically provide free internet access, 40,000 students in the Palmetto State faced academic challenges due to at-home connectivity issues.
While my state tried numerous solutions, including setting up hot spots in rural areas and using public access television to deliver lesson plans in certain locations, we clearly need to do more as a nation to strengthen connectivity for Americans from all regions and walks of life. According to one report, 16.9 million American children lack the home internet access needed to learn remotely, opening a nationwide "homework gap." This widespread problem disproportionately impacts those living in rural and economically disadvantaged communities throughout the country. With many students in these areas still learning virtually full-time, the problem has been compounded.
This is simply unacceptable in 21st-century America.