Comcast, Give Our Students Internet!

In May, Philadelphia School District teachers, parents, and students begged Comcast to get over 20,000 students online by opening up their residential hotspots, increasing internet speeds, and extending their discount program’s free period. Comcast said NO. Instead, Comcast has put their money towards funding the Philadelphia Police Federation, an institution that criminalizes and brutalizes Black and Brown communities, while making even more millions off of new customers and accounts due to COVID-19.  

Join us on August 3rd at 3pm to demand that Comcast support Philly’s students by making virtual learning possible for ALL of them. Comcast has called Philadelphia its home for years and it is time that they support the city they have taken millions of dollars from in tax incentives and abatements; this means ensuring that every student has online access while Philadelphia schools go forward with remote learning for the 2020-2021 school year.

Comcast claims its discount internet program, Internet Essentials, is getting everyone who needs to online. But thousands of families are finding that language barriers, houselessness, or back bills (even though Comcast claims this isn't a problem) are keeping them without internet. The District has begged them to open up their WiFi hotspots to our children. Comcast has flatly refused.

“Back to school” is meaningless unless every single child gets high speed, affordable or free, online access. Comcast is the biggest telecommunications company in America - and it can do far more to get our kids online. But Comcast isn’t feeling the pressure to provide free internet access for all the families that need it. Come help us make them feel that pressure!

#education #economicjustice #racialjustice #comcast #internetaccess #digitaldivide