Sesame Street has provided learning supplies for children across the Jackson Public School District who do not have internet access at home, Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba announced at a press conference at Bates Elementary School on May 29. He said the books and materials will help bridge the digital divide for the 1,500 children who will receive them.

Gov. Tate Reeves abruptly shut down public schools with his March 14 executive order as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in Mississippi. Students were subsequently confined to home learning till the end of the school year. However, in light of his “Safer at Home” executive order in effect from June 1, public school buildings can now offer in-person classroom learning as the latest phase of reopening the state to economic and social activities starts.

"We want to make certain that children who may not have internet connectivity are not left behind," Lumumba said at the briefing. "That is why it is particularly timely."

Bridging Digital Divide with ‘Dark Fiber’

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind the TV program “Sesame Street,” provided the books and activity booklets geared toward children aged 0-6 years.

"The City of Jackson initially reached out to Sesame Workshop in April after learning about their teaching resources designed to help parents and young children manage through COVID-19 as part of their Caring for Each Other initiative," a City of Jackson statement said. “Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, the pioneering television show that has been reaching and teaching children since 1969. Additional digital resources for learning at home and coping with COVID-19 are available at SesameStreet.org/caring."

Lumumba said the City is working on developing its dark fiber, which is unused optical fiber, to expand internet access for the poor so that nobody is left behind. He said it does not only portend economic growth but will ensure internet affordability for the educational development of children and ensure equitable distribution of resources in education.

"When we are in an internet age, and not everybody can log on, then we have to recognize that gap and do all we can to fill it in," he said.

The mayor said Sesame Street had done tremendous work globally to provide educational resources to children. He said his administration is working with JPS on how to distribute the kits. "We will be taking these to our constituents services division so that we can get them into the hands of the people as soon as possible," he said.

Next: How to Support Early Literacy in Jackson

JPS Superintendent Errick L. Greene said at the press conference that the material will facilitate early literacy.

"We are excited to be in partnership with the City as we think about how we expand literacy and especially how we support early literacy in our city,” Greene said. “We know that literacy is one of those codes; it's one of the keys to success; those who can code, engage in the written language, have a certain level of power."

He said the resources, prepared for any parent to use, will empower them as "truly the first teachers" to enhance the literacy of their children.

"There is not a whole lot of training required for parents as they take these materials and put them into use," he said. "We are just pleased that Sesame Street donated to provide us with these materials, and we are in conversation about other materials, other programs that they've run. So we expect that we will continue to build on even this gift, as we go forward. creating an even deeper relationship with them over time."

The superintendent said COVID-19 negatively affected the education system in the state. "It caused lots of turmoil and upset throughout society. So we are just excited that this is one more resource to help parents as they help young people to create a new normal, build into their home life, more official and formal learning," he said.

"Anytime we can put printed materials in the hands of our families, printed material that does not require us to have devices, to have high-speed internet, it is just a win for everyone."

Bates Elementary School Principal Stephen Johnson said the gesture will support the effort of the school district as it focuses on learning at home.

"We are so thankful as a school community within this district to be the recipient of these resources,” he said. “We are also thankful to our mayor, to our superintendent for supporting our family extended learning at home, which is what it has been about in the past couple of months. We are grateful for the resources that we can provide for them so that they can continue to learn at home.”

Email story tips to city/county reporter Kayode Crown at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @kayodecrown.