Earlier today, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr asked his fellow Commissioners to reverse the agency’s decision to use the E-rate program to fund Wi-Fi use at home and on school buses. The following statement may be attributed to Benton Senior Counselor Andrew Jay Schwartzman:

“Chairman Carr’s moves today are very unfortunate as they further signal that the Commission is no longer prioritizing closing the digital divide. In the 21st Century, education doesn’t stop when a student leaves school and today’s actions could lead to many students having a tougher time completing homework assignments because their families lack internet access. The Wi-Fi on school buses is particularly helpful for students in rural areas that face long, daily commutes. The previous FCC chair turned these commutes into “the Homework Hour;” Chairman Carr proposes to lock rural kids into dead zones.”

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.

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Kevin Taglang
Executive Editor, Communications-related Headlines
Benton Institute
for Broadband & Society
1041 Ridge Rd, Unit 214
Wilmette, IL 60091
847-220-4531
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Broadband Delivers Opportunities and Strengthens Communities