AASA Signs Statement Expressing Deep Concern Over Recent FCC Actions
Earlier today, AASA joined 16 other national organizations in a joint statement in response to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's recent decisions affecting the Universal Service Lifeline and E-Rate programs:
You can read the full statement here. It is also excerpted below:
The
Education and Libraries Networks Coalition (EdLiNC) is extremely disappointed
by FCC Chairman Pai's unilateral decision to revoke the designation of several
telecommunications companies as Lifeline broadband providers. This decision
will significantly hamper efforts to help close the homework gap for thousands
of low-income and rural students, preventing them from gaining access to online
resources, to college and employment applications, and to their teachers and
peers. We cannot understand the need to block the roll-out of the Lifeline
broadband program now and urge the Chairman to reconsider this action.
EdLiNC is
also deeply concerned by Chairman Pai's decision to rescind the recently
published E-Rate progress report, which does nothing more than demonstrate the
progress that the program has made in delivering robust Wi-Fi to classrooms and
libraries and providing fiber broadband connection opportunities to their
buildings. E-Rate has done more to connect America's public and private schools
and public libraries in the past 20 years than any other state or federal
program and EdLiNC remains steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the strength
and viability of this program. We urge the Chairman to reconsider this action.
EdLiNC looks forward to working with the FCC and Chairman Pai to ensure that
the E-Rate program helps meet the needs of our schools and libraries and
protects the continued distribution of E-Rate discounts in an equitable way.
Groups signing the statement include:
- AASA, The School Superintendents Association
- American Federation of Teachers
- American Library Association
- Association of School Business Officials, International
- Association of Educational Service Agencies
- Consortium for School Networking
- International Society for Technology in Education
- National Association of Elementary School Principals
- National Association of Independent Schools
- National Association of Secondary School Principals
- National Catholic Educational Association
- National Education Association
- National PTA
- National Rural Education Advocacy Consortium
- National Rural Education Association
- National School Boards Association
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops