Expanding E-rate program for schools and libraries would increase digital literacy

[Commentary] There’s a quote, often attributed to Ben Franklin, that sums up why America should expand broadband in schools and libraries: “Tell me, and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Without access to the World Wide Web, without being involved in it, digital media literacy simply can’t be taught – and without that, our nation will never fully enter the digital age. We can’t just tell Americans why broadband matters. We have to show each other how it works by teaching it in our schools and libraries and offering it in the neighborhoods they serve. That’s why the E-rate program is a good idea. Connecting classrooms and libraries to the Internet could not be smarter. Well-funded and well-run, the E-rate program can make the digital world real for at least half the population of the United States.