With Future Of Schools Uncertain, Pittsburgh Public Schools Plans To Have Laptops For All Its Students Come Fall
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Hamlet says he expects remote learning to continue into the fall.
While some families have the space and technology they need at home for online schooling, others don't.
But it's not just that. Some parents say it also comes down to routine and structure.
"He's not paying attention to all of his e-mails," said parent Christen Baker.
Christen Baker is talking about her son, a seventh grader at Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy.
"Every Monday, the teachers are emailing me saying that he's behind on work," said Baker. "If it was a structured thing where at 9 a.m., the teacher says 'I'm going to be on' and every kid is right there, just like this."
During a town hall on Facebook Thursday night, Dr. Anthony Hamlet said there's still a lot of uncertainty.
"Because when you take into context things like social distancing, and when you think about schools and proximity that kids, teachers and staff are in, it is impossible to social distance," said Dr. Hamlet.
"Better to be home and healthy than to be causing more people to be ill just by being around them," said Parent Elaine Rybski.
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While remote learning hasn't been too difficult for Rybski's son who's a freshman at Taylor Allderdice, it's been a challenge for some of the district's educators like Arabic and French translator Zineb Outnouna.
"These are immigrants, refugees, some have come from refugee camps and have never seen a computer until they came to the U.S.," said Outnouna.
It's not ideal, but Outnouna said there have been positives too.
"They're becoming more comfortable with the computer," said Outnouna. "We have to adapt and keep rolling."
Pittsburgh Public Schools said it continues to distribute technology to students who need it. Next week, the district will distribute laptops to identified eighth graders.
The district said it will follow with the distribution of iPads to identified students Pre-K through 2 the second week of May 18. By the fall, the district will have laptops for all of its students.
