In this episode, we speak with activist Dirk Tillotson about how, due to a lack of internet access, low income students are being denied an education during COVID-19. You’ll hear how Comcast’s free internet service is not actually free, why a lack of internet access is an extreme barrier to academic success, and how activists and business leaders are stepping up to solve the problem. [spp-player url=http://traffic.libsyn.com/voices4ed/36_-_Education_Post_-_Free_Internet_Should_Be_Free.mp3] [spp-tweet tweet="“These kids are being denied access to an education. We know this is happening. We know this is going to continue to happen until something is changed.” – Dirk Tillotson"]
Episode Details:
- How Comcast’s “free internet” is not actually free
- How Comcast has responded to Dirk’s petition
- The power of local education activism
- The lack of national leadership towards allowing students to continue to learn during COVID-19
- How business leaders are stepping up for students
- Whether or not Comcast and other ISPs should continue to provide internet after COVID-19
Links Mentioned:
[spp-tweet tweet="“We often look at educational change as something that someone is going to think up somewhere at the top. The reality is that I think we need to listen to the folks at the bottom and how they’re experiencing things, respond to them and then push up to the top for the change.” – Dirk Tillotson"]