East St. Louis families scramble for internet access to engage in remote learning

Melissa Lawson does whatever she can to ensure her children have a great education. The single mom of three juggles working as a licensed cosmetologist, a Zumba instructor and a school’s lunch and recess monitor while ensuring she has the money to keep her children at Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School and Gibault Catholic High School. But now that Lawson’s children are remote learning this school year, she’s had to double her efforts because she can’t afford internet service in her home. She leaves her phone with her kids while she goes to work so they can use her hotspot for school.

Many families in East St. Louis (IL) — a Black-majority community where nearly 40% of residents live below the federal poverty line — can’t afford internet service and struggle to find ways for their children to do their remote learning. East St. Louis and nearby Washington Park have 200 or less residential fixed internet connections per 1,000 households, the lowest rate in St. Clair County, according to an analysis of Federal Communications Commission data based on census tracts. The data also shows that predominantly white and more affluent communities like Belleville and O’Fallon have at least 800 residential internet connections per 1,000 households.  

“It would be nice if some of these internet companies can work with us,” Lawson said. “Everything works with technology, and I feel like why should we be restricted in the poor community. We deserve to have the same access and things that other people do. We deserve to have those same things. I’m not saying that we don’t have to work for it, but maybe they can offer some incentives so we can have it.”