Trump takes aim at $3 billion school internet boondoggle

‍This massive subsidy to get kids hooked on screens is not merely a questionable use of taxpayer dollars but may well be harming academic performance

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is launching a sweeping review of its school internet E-Rate program, which provides $3 billion each year in discounts for internet access and related services to government schools and libraries. The reassessment comes not a moment too soon, according to United States Parents Involved in Education (USPIE).

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr called the review necessary at a time when screen time use has surged at schools across the nation, particularly since the COVID pandemic.

He told Fox News Digital that the increased use may be leading to poor educational outcomes, citing an advisory issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year. Carr said the review is also intended to empower parents who may not be aware of how technology is being used in their children’s classrooms. The review is building upon actions taken in Congress and in school districts across the nation to reduce screen time and return to more “classical approaches” to education, Carr said.

Many folks are rethinking the use of technology in the classroom, given the fact that student achievement has been declining since 2013. Technology may not be the total cause of the decline, but it certainly hasn’t helped. The FCC is wisely reconsidering its financial support to increase the use of tech in the classroom.

The federal government uses our tax dollars to create incentives for behaviors it believes are good for us. Given that many tech execs send their own kids to tech-free schools, maybe others should pay attention.

On a recent episode of “Unmasking Government Schools with Sheri Few,” the USPIE leader discussed the topic of smartphones destroying the attention spans of today’s youth. Few and Phillip Telfer — pastor, author of “Help! The Smartphone Ate My Family,” and founder of Media Talk 101 — expose how unchecked screen time is fueling anxiety, depression and cognitive decline in children, and what parents can do about it.

To hear more from USPIE’s Founder and President, Sheri Few, tune in to the latest episode of USPIE’s podcast, “Unmasking Government Schools with Sheri Few,” on Tuesday, June 16, where Few is joined by Dr. Douglas Pietersma, a research associate at the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI). On this episode, Few and Dr. Pietersma discuss some of the reasons behind the explosive growth of home education in America.  Listen to “Unmasking Government Schools with Sheri Few” on YouTube, Facebook, Spotify and X

USPIE’s powerful documentary, “Truth & Lies in American Education,” addresses some of the most glaring issues in the American education system and helps parents experience a paradigm shift in how they think about education and the role of their local schools. “Truth & Lies in American Education” is available for streaming on SalemNOW, as well as on DVD.