Laptops for Students in Alabama School System Delayed

It’s a brand new year in the middle of a pandemic that led the state to close all schools at the very beginning.

Over the summer, there were conversations about how the upcoming school year would proceed, and as we approach the start of that school year, various systems within the state are making decisions of what they think would work best for their students, faculties, and staffs.

Some systems have opted for virtual learning for every student at the beginning of the year while others have made virtual learning an option.

While virtual learning seems to be a viable option, it’s definitely not without issue.

Take a look at the Etowah County Schools, where many students have opted for online learning.  Yet, thousands of laptops intended for the system were held up over issues with manufacturers. Source.

It is said that the laptops were scheduled for delivery this week, but they were being held by the U.S. Department of Commerce in customs.

What would cause them to be held? Well, supposedly, there’s an issue with a separate electronics company that was accused of being involved in human rights violations in China.

However, the U.S. Department of Commerce said it has not seized any laptops.

So, what does this mean for the Etowah County School System? Administrators chose to cancel the district’s order and purchase laptops from another vendor. Unfortunately, those won’t be delivered until September.

It goes without saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused our lives to be altered in ways we’d never before considered. However, there’s a saying that where there’s a will, there’s a way; and we’re all willing to do what’s necessary to maintain our way of life to be as close to normal as possible.

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