Local mothers express support for EdConnect initiative

Local mothers express support for EdConnect initiative

Good evening.

I'm dorothy sherman.

Thanks for joining us for news 12 now at 11.

As the chattanooga city council is in the process of getting ready to vote on proposed budget amendments, some local mothers express how a partnership is helping their children learn, and some residents continue a call to divest from police.

That's tonight's top local story.

Chattanooga city council members hold a hearing on multiple budget amendments tuesday.

One of them if approved appropriates 1.5 million dollars from reserves to epb for the edconnect initiative.

It's an effort to get families of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch in-home connection to the internet.

"it is a mandated need.

We have to have this."

Last week, an h-c-s official said that over 13-thousand families said in a survey that they would like the program.

According to city staff, around 39-hundred families have signed up.

Danielle jones says it's helping her daughter.

Danielle jones: "it's definitely been helpful for her to be in contact with her teacher.

She still in the cohort a and b.

So she goes mondays, tuesdays and then on wednesdays, thursdays and fridays she still has to check in by 8:30 in order to be a part of that attendance."

Sunny burden tells council members that her family has been able to use the program beyond just school.

Sunny burden "we are using it currently for school work, school at home we definitely use it for other household reasons, paying our bills, medical and doctor's visits."

During the public comments section of the meeting multiple people took the opportunity to express their want to continue discussions on the budget, but not necessarily on the amendments council members are set to vote on, but rather to continue discussions on divesting from the police.

"and turning some of that money and the funding towards programs where the police don't need to be involved."

Council members will take a first vote on