NY Times Publishes Editorial Supporting FCC Chairman’s Proposed “Reboot” of E-Rate

Note: More about the proposal including a fact sheet, comments by ALA and ISTE, and more can be found in the infoDOCKET post: FCC “Chairman Expected to Propose 62% Increase in Funding Used to Wire Schools, Libraries with Broadband.” (November 17, 2014)
The editorial written by NY Times Editorial Board is titled, “Faster Broadband for Schools and Libraries.”
From the Editorial:

Next month, the Federal Communications Commission will consider a proposal from its chairman, Tom Wheeler, that would raise taxes on phone lines by a modest 16 cents a month to make sure that every public school and library has reliable and fast Internet connections. The commissioners should vote yes.
[Clip]
Most of the country’s schools and libraries do not have the high-speed connections they need to take full advantage of the Internet, the F.C.C. says. Not surprisingly, schools and libraries in poorer and more rural parts of the country tend to have worse service than those in urban and affluent areas.
[Clip]The commissioner’s proposal is reasonable and justified. Schools and libraries are vital sources of information, especially for Americans who cannot afford to subscribe to high-quality Internet service at home

Read the Complete Editorial (408 Words)

Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Funding, Libraries, School Libraries