By DAISY TORRES                                                                                                                                      

Tyrone Tyler Thomas often rushes to complete his homework that requires a computer. It’s not to make time for his PS3 game console or hang out with his friends. It was because he was short on time.

The only place he could complete his computer mandated homework is at the school computer lab. He didn’t have a computer at home and he couldn’t afford another failing grade on his report card for turning in a handwritten assignment when the teacher required it to be typed.

“I felt so stuck sometimes because I had to get an assignment done and I didn’t have enough time,” said Tyrone, 17, a student at Hostos Lincoln Academy of Science. He had often spent his after school time from 2:20 to 4 p.m. at the school computer lab to complete homework that was required to be typed.

Yet despite a study by former New York City Comptroller John Liu showing that one-third of Bronx homes lack any Internet access or computers, some teachers still expect computer assignments be done on time and to their specifications–not handwritten.

“If we get homework on the computer and I don’t complete it on time, it will not be accepted and I will get a zero on the assignment, which takes out a lot of points,” said Shaamar Lovelace Cole, 17.

A classmate of Tyrone’s, Shaamar does not have a computer at his home or even Internet access. He is one of the many students who struggle to complete computer mandated homework.

But not everyone thinks that computer access is the main issue. “Some people are just too lazy to get off their phones and locate a public library around them,” said Latoya A. Crum-Ewing, 14, a student at Hostos Lincoln Academy of Science.

“It’s totally unfair that teachers require students to complete computer assignments no matter what,” said Tiffany Prentis, 34, a guidance counselor at MS 162 in the South Bronx. “That could have been the week that the computer chose to break down.”

Liu’s report found that 37 percent of Bronx homes have no Internet or computer access.

“Teachers should set up a time during the week to take the whole class together to complete the computerized assignment.” said Prentis.

Middle school teacher Elaine Blocker likes her assignments typed since they are neater and easier to read. “Give me my stuff!” is what she’s often known to say to her 8th grade students at MS 390 in Burnside. “They have a school computer lab, a public library, and laptops in their school and they want to tell me that they can’t get my essays typed? They have more than enough resources and time,” said Blocker.

However, there are a few teachers who understand the financial struggles some families have. Technology teacher F. Michael Guldal, 45, known by students as Mr. G., generously gave his personal laptop to Tyrone to keep as a gift. “Mr. G just saw me staying in late to complete a homework assignment on the computer and just asked if I had a computer to work on at home,” recalled Tyrone. “When I told him ‘no,’ he said he might just be able to help me. I’m really grateful.”

Guldal gives students computer work as a way to prepare them for college. “In college they won’t accept any handwritten work,” he said.

For students who don’t have computers at home, but do have phones, Guldal makes completing assignments easier. “I set up Google Drive for them on their phones so they can type there and save it. All they have to is clean it up at a computer at school,” he said.