Education News
EEOC Finds Library Policy of Unrestricted Internet Access Creates Sexually Hostile Work Environment for Librarians. (5/23/01) The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Minneapolis Area Office, issued a Determination that the Minneapolis Public Library subjected librarians employed by the library to a "sexually hostile work environment" in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for maintaining a policy of unrestricted Internet access.
House Telecom Subcommittee Holds Hearing on CIPA and E-Rate. (4/4/01) The House Commerce Committee's Telecom Subcommittee held a hearing titled the "E-Rate and Filtering: A Review of the Children's Internet Protection Act" on Wednesday, April 4. Proponents and opponents debated the merits of a bill that has already become law.
Rep. Franks and Rep. Pickering Re-Introduce Filtering Bill. (6/9/00) Rep. Pickering and Rep. Franks announced their re-introduction of the Children's Internet Protection Act on Thursday, June 8. The bill would require schools and libraries that accept e-rate subsidies to use filtering technology.
Library of Congress Will Not Digitize Books. (4/15/00) The Librarian of Congress, James Billington, gave an address at the National Press Club on Friday, April 14, on the role of the Library of Congress in the Information Age. He harshly criticized the Internet, and stated that the Library will not digitize books. However, the Library has plans to expand its web publication of other materials.
State of the Union Speech Short on High Tech Issues. (1/28/00) President Bill Clinton's speech to the Congress on January 27 on the "state of the union" addressed the e-rate and digital divide, and government spending on research, but little else pertaining the computer, software, Internet or communications industries.
New NTIA Chief Discusses Goals. (12/3/99) Greg Rhode, the newly appointed head of the NTIA, stated that two of his priorities for the coming year include narrowing the "digital divide" and implementing high cost reform under universal service.
McCain Wants More H1B Visas and Funding for Math and Science Teachers. (8/22/99) Sen. John McCain, while on a Presidential campaign swing through California, stated that he supports a "large-scale expansion of the H1-B program". There are several bills pending in the Congress that would increase the annual cap on H1B visas, and/or create a new visa class for aliens receiving high tech degrees from U.S. universities. Sen. McCain also proposed more funding for training math and science teachers, and making permanent the three year moratorium on new Internet taxes. See, speech to the Commonwealth Club.
Fifth Circuit Upholds FCC's E-Rate Program. (8/1/99) The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Friday, July 30, upheld most of the FCC's order implementing the universal service support provisions of the 1996 Telecom Act, including the schools and libraries program. See, Fifth Circuit Opinion.
Rep. Istook Introduces Filtering Bill. (7/25/99) Rep. Ernest Istook again introduced a bill that would require all schools and libraries receiving federal funds to acquire or operate computers to use a filtering technology to protect children from Internet porn. See, HR 2560 IH.
House Adopts Franks' E-Rate Internet Filtering Bill. (6/18/99) The House adopted the Franks amendment to the juvenile crime bill, which requires schools and libraries receiving e-rate subsidies to install filtering or blocking technology for computers with Internet access.
Tauzin and Burns Re-Introduce Bills to Reform E-Rate. (5/12/99) Rep. Billy Tauzin and Sen. Conrad Burns re-introduced legislation that would reform the Federal Communications Commission's schools and libraries program, which is also known as the "e-rate" and the "Gore Tax". Their bills would end FCC control of the program, fund the program for five years out of the existing excise tax on phones, and distribute the money in the form of block grants to the states.
NTIA Opposes Mandatory Filtering Under E-Rate. (4/13/99) NTIA head Larry Irving sent a letter to FCC Chairman William Kennard on April 7 in which he stated opposition to mandated filtering in the FCC's e-rate program. He wrote that "the Federal Government should not mandate a particular type of technology, such as filtering or blocking software." There are bills pending in Congress that would require all schools and libraries receiving e-rate subsidies to install and use software that filters out Internet porn. See, copy of letter.
Supporters of Internet Filtering Back Franks-McCain Bill. (3/3/99) Supporters of the Children's Internet Protection Act held a press conference on Capitol Hill on Tuesday afternoon, March 2. Leaders of several groups, and Rep. Bob Franks, stated the case for requiring schools and libraries which receive e-rate subsidies to use filtering software to protect children from Internet pornography and child predators.
E-Rate Termination Bill Filed in House. (2/17/99) Rep. Tom Tancredo introduced a bill in the House on February 10 which would eliminate the e-rate, a Federal Communications Commission program for subsidizing telecommunications services and computer networking for schools and libraries. See, HR 692 IH.
McCain and Hollings Reintroduce School Filtering Bill. (1/22/99) Sen. John McCain and Sen. Ernetst Hollings reintroduced a bill that would require schools and libraries receiving universal service funds under the "e-rate" program to use filtering software on computers with Internet access. See, S 97, Childrens' Internet Protection Act.
Disbursement of E-Rate Funds Begins. (11/25/98) The FCC's controversial schools and libraries program, or "e-rate," is set to begin disbursement of funds, according to statements released by the Schools and Libraries Corp. and Vice President Al Gore.
Federal Judge Bans Public Library from Filtering Out Net Porn. (11/24/98) U.S. District Court Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled yesterday that the Loudoun County Library can no longer continue its policy of running software on its public use computers that blocks access to Internet pornography. See, Judge's Opinion in Mainstream Loudoun v. Loudoun County Library.
National Taxpayers Union Seeks End to Gore Tax. (8/19/98) The National Taxpayers Union yesterday restated its opposition to the "Gore Tax," the FCC's schools and libraries program. It also launched a new website committed to ending the Gore Tax.
E-Rate Divide Follows Partisan Lines. (8/10/98) The political battle over the future of the e-rate is classic partisan contest which pits Republicans and fiscal conservatives against Democrats and social liberals. Democrats are digging in to defend the current FCC run program. Republicans are coalescing around a proposal by Sen. Burns and Rep. Tauzin to limit the e-rate to five years, shift administration from the FCC to the NTIA, and distribute money to the states as block grants.
House Subcommittee Debates E-Rate Funding. (8/5/98) The Oversight Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on August 4 on the financing mechanism for the e-rate. Republicans argued that the current universal service based funding is an unconstitutional tax. It collects money to pay for the schools and libraries program from charges added to long distance phone users' monthly bills. They advocated replacing it with money raised from the existing excise tax on phones. Democrats defended the FCC run program.
Riley Attacks Burns-Tauzin Proposal to Reform E-Rate. (7/30/98) Secretary of Education William Riley ratcheted up the partisan rhetoric in the debate over how the e-rate should be administered in a speech on Wednesday. He accused Members of Congress of "trying to pull the plug on the program." He also argued that phone companies cannot bill customers for the universal service charges assessed to them to pay for the e-rate, and that the federal government should also provide schools with "hardware, the software, the wiring, and the teacher training."
Comparison of Schools and Libraries Programs. (7/27/98) The e-rate bills filed last Thursday by Sen. Burns, Rep. Tauzin, Rep. Weller, and Rep. Hulshof would continue the existing FCC run program for subsidizing schools' and libraries' efforts to connect to the Internet. However, the bills would make some major changes in the way the program is run.
Tauzin and Burns Introduce E-Rate Reform Bill. (7/24/98) Sen. Conrad Burns and Rep. Billy Tauzin introduced a bill on Thursday that would reform the controversy plagued schools and libraries program. The proposal would fund the program out of the existing excise tax on phones, terminate the FCC's Schools and Libraries Corp., transfer authority to the NTIA, and hand out funds to the states in the form of block grants. See, HTML Copy of Bill.
Senate Committee Passes Blocking Software Bill. (7/22/98) The Senate Appropriations Committee approved an appropriations bill on Tuesday, with an amendment that would require schools and libraries receiving e-rate subsidies to install blocking software. The amendment had previously been introduced as Senate Bill 1619 by Sen. McCain on February 9.
Senate Holds Hearing on Schools and Libraries Corp. (7/20/98) The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing into waste, fraud, and mismanagement, and other problems, at the Schools and Libraries Corporation (SLC) on Thursday, July 16. The SLC administers a program for funding subsidies to schools and libraries for computer networking, Internet access, and phone service. The Committee heard testimony from SLC President Ira Fishman, and GAO representative Judy Joseph.
Kennard Asks NAACP to Support E-Rate. (7/15/98) Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard asked the NAACP to adopt a resolution in support of the "e-rate" during a speech at the NAACP's annual convention in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 13.
Gingrich Criticizes FCC Management of E-Rate. (7/1/98) House Speaker Newt Gingrich condemned the way the schools and libraries program is being subsidized in a trip to Silicon Valley on Tuesday. Gingrich said that it is wrong to allow a bureaucracy to raise a tax, and bad policy to allow a Washington bureaucracy to manage technical modernization.
E-Rate Debate Continues. (6/22/98) The FCC's announcement on June 12 that it would modify its "E-Rate" or "Gore Tax" subsidies for schools and libraries has not quelled the debate over the future of the program. AT&T announced Friday that it would charge its residential customers 93 cents per month to support universal service programs. Also, legislators will likely introduce two bills in Congress this week that would transfer control of the program to the Department of Education, and fund it with an already existing federal excise tax on telephones.
Spamming, Slamming, and Billing Legislation. (6/18/98) The Senate held a hearing on anti-spamming legislation. It has already passed the Senate, but is pending in the House. The measure would require junk e-mailers to identify themselves on messages, and honor requests from recipients to be removed from mailing lists. This provision is part of a larger bill banning slamming, and regulating the content of phone companies' monthly bills to customers.
FCC Modifies Schools and Libraries Program. (6/15/98) The FCC decided on Friday to modify the way it implements Section 254(h) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which mandates universal service support for telecommunications services for schools and libraries. However, the changes fell far short of what the FCC's critics in Congress wanted, and set the stage for further conflict, and/or Congressional legislation.
Senate Communications Subcommittee Berates FCC. (6/11/98) The Senate Communications Subcommittee held a hearing on reauthorization of the Federal Communications Commission Wednesday morning, at which most Senators scolded the FCC Commissioners for their handling of universal service support for high cost rural areas and for schools and libraries. FCC Commissioners said little to mollify their Senate critics.
Schools and Libraries Corporation in Trouble on Hill. (6/8/98) The Federal Communications Commission's handling of the schools and libraries universal service subsidy program, also know as the "e-rate," has come under strong criticism on Capitol Hill. Several key Congressmen would like to shut down the Schools and Libraries Corp. and its funding mechanism.
Schools & Libraries Corporation Supporters Fight Back. (6/8/98) The supporters of the beleagured Schools and Libraries Corporation met Friday in Washington to organize their campaign to preserve the "e-rate" program in its current form. Congressional supporters also held a press conference to announce that they would take their case to the public. See, Transcript of Press Conference.
Education Dept. Waits in the Wings to Run the E-Rate. (6/8/98) The Department of Education might soon administer a reformed federal program for subsidizing school and library computer networking and connections to the Internet. The program, known as the "e-rate," is now administered by the Federal Communications Commission and its Schools and Libraries Corporation. However, the FCC has incurred the wrath of many members of Congress for the manner in which it has constituted the program.
Clinton Condemns "Digital Divide" in America. (6/8/98) President Bill Clinton delivered an address at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Friday in which he condemned the racial "digital divide" in America, and re-affirmed his support for the "e-rate" subsidy for school and library computer networking, Internet access, and phone service. See, Complete Text of Clinton Speech.
Debate Over 'Gore Tax' Heats Up. (6/4/98) Battle lines are being drawn over the "Gore Tax" -- a charge on phone bills used to pay for the Federal Communications Commission's expanding universal service programs. The controversy is not presently over whether there should be a tax, but rather, whether the public should be informed about the tax on their phone bills. Fearing that such information could erode public support for the Schools and Libraries fund (the "e-rate"), FCC Chairman Kennard wants to stop phone companies from revealing such information.
AT&T Announces New Universal Service Charges and IP Telephony and Wireless Data Services. (5/29/98) AT&T announced plans to collect a new universal service charge and to notify customers of the reason for the charge in monthly bills. AT&T also announced plans to offer IP telephony services in three cities, and flat rate wireless data services. The universal service charge will recover the about $1.6 Billion that the FCC requires AT&T to contribute to universal service programs, including its new $2.2 Billion per year Schools and Libraries Fund. The announcements do not sit well with the FCC and some proponents of universal service subsidies.
FCC and CATO Debate Internet Universal Service. (5/13/98) FCC Chief of Staff John Nakahata and CATO Institute VP David Boaz presented sharply contrasting visions of the government's role in providing universal service and Internet access for schools and libraries at the Policy '98 Conference in Washington on Tuesday.
Divided FCC Reports to Congress On SLC Plans. (5/11/98) The Federal Communications Commission, in a partisan vote on Friday, issued a report to Congress on universal service and the Schools & Libraries Corporation. The FCC proposed to merge the SLC and RHCC into the FCC's Universal Service Administration Company. The Report also claimed that only $1.67 Billion of the planned $2.25 Billion would be raised this year without further increases in universal service contributions. See, HTML Copy of the Report to Congress.
Senate Holds Hearing on FCC Common Carrier Bureau. (5/7/98) The Senate Telecommunications Subcommittee held an oversight hearing on the Federal Communications Commission's Common Carrier Bureau. Both Senators and witnesses complained about FCC handling of various universal service issues. Richard Metzger, the head of the Bureau, also testified, but made no commitments regarding future FCC actions affecting universal service.
Schools & Libraries Fund Has $2 Billion in Requests. (5/6/98) The Federal Communication Commission's Schools and Libraries Fund has received applications totaling somewhere around $2 Billion, fund administrators estimate. The FCC created the fund to subsidize telecommunications services, Internet access, and some computer hardware and software, for schools and libraries. See, HTML Copy of Schools and Libraries Report.
Y2K Candidate Gore Hypes Internet with Union Bosses. (4/29/98) Vice President Al Gore met with union leaders, and held a ceremonial online session with school children, on Tuesday to publicize his support for subsidized Internet access for public schools, and related programs.
Kennard Speech on Schools and Libraries Corp. (4/17/98) William Kennard, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, gave a speech on Thursday, April 16, to an education group about the Schools and Library Corp., the controversial entity created by the FCC to give up to $2.25 Billion per year to schools and libraries for Internet and telecommunications services, at the expense of phone users.
Congressmen Decry the 'Federal Computer Commission'. (3/31/98) The House Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection met today to question and hear testimony from all five Commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission. Congressmen strongly criticized the FCC's recent handling of providing universal internet access to schools and libraries.
FCC Illegally Formed Schools and Libraries Corp. (3/31/98) The General Accounting Office issued a lengthy legal opinion today in which it stated the the Federal Communications Commission's formation of two corporations was without legal authority. The report was welcomed by many Representatives and Senators who have long complained about the FCC's handling of universal service subsidies for school and library internet hookup.