New Mexico fourth-grader sat outside closed school to attend online classes as his family couldn't afford WiFi
A nine-year-old from New Mexico was pictured lying outside his elementary school using the Internet in order to take part in remote classes. Fourth-grader Jonathan Endecott of Roswell was forced to sit outside his school building -- which is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic -- as he doesn't have an internet connection at home, the Daily Mail reported. Angel Endecott said her son is quite independent and had already started walking to school this year, but has been unable to participate in classes at home since schools in his district are only conducting lessons online. According to the report, the embattled child couldn't participate in remote learning because they couldn't afford internet.
Meanwhile, the pandemic has cost Angel both her jobs. Speaking to CNN, she noted how they decided Jonathan could walk to school to gain internet access there. "He was like, 'Yeah, I need to be back on the school property, and I could be like a normal kid again,'" Angel told the outlet. "Him just being outside of the building gives him that, 'Hey, I'm at school' feeling even though he's not around other classmates or teachers."
Jonathan's family lives nearby the elementary school and so his parents felt comfortable with him spending the day outside the school, sitting at the front gate. "The principal, the secretary, and a few teachers, they do come outside to check up on him and see if he needs anything," Angel said.
One teacher, however, was moved by the youngster sitting outside the building day after day. Sabrina Talbott Harbour couldn't help but share a photo of him on social media. "This young boy has no internet at his home. He has been getting up and walking to school every day to connect to the school WiFi from outside the school. He sits there every day from 8:00-2:45," she wrote alongside the post.
"When I taught in Roswell some of my kids had DIRT floors. No cars, no heat, no water, and no food," Harbour continued. "The only hugs may have come from teachers or their friends. Their only food may have come from school. I had a cabinet with deodorant, soap, a couple of changes of clothes, etc for kids who didn’t have access to such things and would give them time to go to the restroom to get cleaned up and presentable."
"This isn’t ok. The kids will be better off in school. The kids are suffering socially, academically, mentally, and physically," the concerned educator added.
Harbour also urged President Donald Trump to intervene and open up schools in the district. "Donald J. Trump this is what New Mexico students are dealing with because the tyrant, democratic, power-hungry, controlling governor won’t open the state up and let the kids return to school," she wrote.
The heartwrenching image went viral and has since sparked a fundraising campaign to help the struggling family financially. One donor has offered to pay for the internet for an entire year, and a GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family with other expenses.
"We have always lived paycheck to paycheck. With God's help we have always managed to get just enough to live with what we had to pay for. When covid hit. At first, it didn't affect my employment. About 2 months ago that changed. I lost my weekly paying job," Angel wrote on the website, before explaining how the family has recently been forced to spend on essentials like plumbing and flooring in the home. "I can't express enough my thanks for the help the community has already given us with our internet," she said. "We will also Glady [sic] take donations like materials for the bathroom or anything anyone would like to help with."
Jonathan is now able to access the internet at home, and is enjoying being able to chat with his friends and classmates online.