Pittsburgh Public Schools Forges Ahead With Online-Only Classes, Even As Thousands Of Students Don't Have Computers Yet
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pittsburgh Public Schools will be starting remote-only classes on Tuesday even though some students will still not have a computer at home.
While computer device continue to trickle in, a few thousand families will come up short, but the district has decided to move ahead with the school year.
Eager to begin online classes, hundreds of parents and students have been turned away at distribution sites after supplies ran dry. But even though the district is still short of computer devices for families that need them, remote classes will be starting on Tuesday.
"Cannot delay any longer, it's just not fair. Not fair to the kids, not fair to the families. People are preparing, this is fall coming up, this is when school is supposed to start," Board President Sylvia Wilson said.
The computer shortage forced the district to cancel the start of school this week, but they'd been hopeful enough would arrive this week to have everyone equipped by Tuesday. But as of Thursday, the district remains about 3,000 devices short for needy students.
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At an online board meeting last night, board members peppered administrators with questions about how those students will learn.
"Where do the teaching and the learning take place? And how do they get the products of their writing back to their teachers?" said board member Sala Udin.
The board was advised that students would again get paper packets with the lesson plans and could view the classes on smart phones. But while board president Sylvia Wilson conceded this isn't optimal, she said she had faith in the teachers and staff to make the best of things.
"We always come together when things are difficult and do the best that we can to make things and that's what the schools are doing right now," said Wilson.
Kelly Carlew, who picked up a laptop today for her daughter, says she'll do whatever it takes.
"Whether it's on the laptop or to get back in the class, a lot of just willing to do what we have to do for the education of our children," she said.
The district is now hopeful the laptops for students who don't have them will be arriving by midweek next week. But they've been hopeful before.
