OSI has raised concerns before about the dire consequences that COVID -19 has had on students – especially poor students in Baltimore. These children lack digital equipment and Internet connectivity, while also facing food scarcity, due most recently to an inability to access the regular meals provided by schools.
Comcast recognized the fact that these children and families were losing access to the most fundamental needs, and stepped up by providing several thousand families with free internet services through the Internet Essentials program for a 60 day period. Sadly, the grace period for this Comcast program has expired, while the children’s needs that were being met by the service have not.
Despite Baltimore City Public Schools’ herculean efforts to purchase and supply all 80,000 students (the vast majority of whom are poor, Black and Brown children) with laptops and Internet connectivity, thousands of students still remain without one or both. Many students are slated to attend online school through the summer, and approximately 4,000 youth will have access to summer employment through Youth Works, if they are able to access the Internet.
We ask you to click the link below to send an email to Comcast officials urging them to extend Internet Essentials for Baltimore City students. Feel free to copy and paste the text below or use your own.
Click here to send an email to the following Comcast officials:
National Comcast Officials:
David L. Cohen, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Founder of Internet Essentials
Local Comcast Officials:
Mary McLaughlin, Senior Vice President, Beltway Region (MD, DC & VA)
Stacy Burnette, Senior Director, Government & Regulatory Affairs
Antoine A. Banks, Government & Regulatory Affairs, Beltway Region
Jessica J. Gappa, Director, Community Impact, Beltway Region
Misty Allen, Vice President, Beltway Region
Dear Mr Cohen, Ms. Zedan, Ms. McLaughlin, Ms. Burnette, Mr. Hooks, Ms. Gappa, and Ms. Allen,
The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the dire need for all Baltimore City residents to have access to digital tools and Internet connectivity in the 21st Century. As school systems nationwide turned to online instruction when schools, libraries and other community services were forced to shutter, thousands of students lost the ability to receive instruction; apply for summer youth employment; obtain health care services; relieve food insecurity concerns; and/or stay abreast of the ever-changing developments facing our country in this moment. Despite Baltimore City Public Schools’ herculean efforts to purchase and supply all 80,000 students (the vast majority of whom are poor, Black and Brown children) with laptops and Internet connectivity, thousands of students still remain without one or both.
Comcast recognized the fact that these children and families were losing access to the most fundamental needs, and stepped up by providing several thousand families with free internet services through the Internet Essentials program for a 60 day period. Sadly, the grace period for this program has expired, while the needs that were being met by the service have not. Many students are slated to attend online school through the summer, and approximately 4,000 youth will have access to summer employment through Youth Works, if they are able to access the Internet. Along with Comcast, many other public and private funders stepped forward to bridge the glaring digital divide, including the Baltimore City Government, Baltimore City Public Schools, several area foundations, as well as businesses, and private donors. All told, these funds aggregate in excess of $8 million above the value of Comcast’s generous Internet Essentials package. However impressive, these funding efforts fall far short what is needed to fill the digital equity gaps evidenced by the pandemic.
We were heartened to learn of Comcast’s recent multi-year, $100 million commitment to advance social justice and equality, with an emphasis on bridging digital inequities. We are asking at a minimum, that you extend the Internet Essentials program for the Baltimore City Public Schools’ children who are already enrolled in the program for a period of 6 months. This gesture would serve as a concrete step toward meeting Comcast’s commitment to social justice and equality, by helping to bridge Baltimore’s digital divide. Thank you in advance for your continued partnership and consideration of the matters addressed in this letter.
Sincerely,
