With first day of school a few days away, some Durham students don't yet have computers

Days away from the start of virtual learning, some Durham parents said they still don’t have computers or devices for their children – leaving many students wondering why some schools are receiving supplies quicker than others and whether they'll have their materials in time for the first day of class.

This is the scheduled time for parents to pick up devices at distribution sites across the Durham area. However, many parents claim resources are quickly running out.

With Durham Schools starting online learning on Monday, many students don't yet have their devices.

A back-log on the delivery of chromebooks has placed many parents on edge.

“We have seen some shortages in supplies, but I know that we’re working hard to fix those problems," said Carrie Henderson, a Durham Public School parent and orchestra director at Sheerwood Githens.

She said they received notice Wednesday that supplies had finally arrived, and the school moved quickly to reach all parents.

“We’re all in the same boat. We want our children to succeed,” she said.

As a parent herself, she understands how frustrating it can be when necessary materials have not yet arrived, with the first day of school just around the corner.

Another concerned parent, who asked to remain anonymous, said her children weren’t so lucky at their school. Instead, their classes have been postponed due to shortages in the supply chain.

“I was notified yesterday that classes would not start on time at our school because everyone does not have devices," she said. "They scheduled pick-ups for today – then canceled and told everyone not to come."

When asked about the delays, Chip Sudderth, a representative for Durham schools, said, “Because some of those computers were held up by U.S. customs, they aren’t rolling out quite as quickly we wanted that’s causing some understandable concern.”

Sudderth wants to reassure parents that schools are doing everything they can to fix the problem.

“Between our older chromebooks and being able to allow families that already have their own devices to use them, we will have one for every student who needs one by Monday," he said.

However, some parents aren't so sure. The anonymous parent said she believes the distribution process could have been handled better. Now, she fears her child will get left behind.

“It’s confusing, complicated, and unnecessary when all of this could have been handled sooner," she said.

DPS is actively working to address all of these concerns.