The Perilous Future of Internet Access for Students of Color

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As teachers increasingly integrate internet-based programs into both lesson plans and homework, the internet has become an essential tool for students. With such vast amounts of information available online—articles, videos, other imaginative mediums—children are able to do homework and develop interests not only with the help of, but also because of an internet connection. But while that tool can—and does—bring so much opportunity to students whose families can afford it, millions of American families are unable to buy internet at home. Studies, including one by the Department of Education in April, show that black and Hispanic Americans make up a much larger percentage of people without internet than white Americans. And yet, instead of working to bridge this divide, the Federal Communications Commission has recently threatened to gut Lifeline, the only program in existence that addresses the affordability of communications services. This move threatens to leave millions of Americans, particularly from communities of color, without the opportunities that come with connectivity.

The FCC’s proposal represents many steps backward for the agency that has worked for decades to bring the unconnected online. If the FCC continues in this direction, it will be low-income black and Hispanic households that have to suffer the attendant consequences of the commission’s actions. More than other groups, these communities can already feel the impact of the digital divide. If the FCC abdicates its role in this issue, it will, in turn, only perpetuate a vicious cycle that for years has ensured that certain communities remain offline—and on the margins.


The Perilous Future of Internet Access for Students of Color