By Erica Gustafson, Staff Writer
As many people already know, the COVID-19 pandemic has notably impacted the working U.S. citizens and the nation’s educational systems. Workers and students alike were taken out of their original work settings to be isolated from their peers. This event brought up many controversial discussions on the accessibility of internet connections and how it is a much needed tool for families across the country.
Many students, teachers and working citizens have struggled with gaining internet connection that allows them to continue the work they need to complete. Some workers have even had to deny assigned work from employers because of poor internet access.
As of July 2020, census.gov reported that about 85.8% of the U.S. population had accessed the internet from anywhere with any device. Though this is a large percentage, it still leaves 14.2% of the population without any access to the internet. This percentage represents a little over 46.9 million of the nation’s total population.
Many of these individuals are located in what the nation refers to as rural America. A study from Purdue University showed that only 43% of rural households had connections to fixed wireless internet access. People who live in these rural areas may have some internet connection, but it is not always the strongest and most reliable. A surgical nurse had personal internet struggles that directly affected her work.
Lisa Huntsman, 49, of Fleming, Ohio, worked as a surgical nurse when the COVID-19 shutdowns took a toll on her work. Her employer offered her alternative telecommuting tasks that she could do from home. The poor internet access at their home forced her to decline the offer. The hot spot that her family used at their home was not very strong and was unable to support multiple users at one time. Huntsman explained how her husband and teenage daughter would often take turns using the internet to finish their work and school demands. The Huntsman family was known on occasion to sit outside of a McDonald’s to access their free Wi-Fi to complete school and work assignments.
The Huntsman family is only one of many families pushed to use their creativity and make the most of what they have with regards to completing their necessary tasks. It is not an easy route for many people with most work today being, in some way or another, linked to information and programs you find on the internet. Students today rely on the internet to allow them to access information, complete assignments and generally connect with their fellow students and teachers. Depending on their line of work, employees may use the internet for a variety of purposes. However, the majority of businesses functioning today use the internet to complete some aspect of their work.
For years, government workers and many others have debated the concept that with a changing world, the internet is becoming more of a necessary tool. It is in question whether the internet is to be considered a human right compared to a luxury.
