US/ND-5: Re: The Power to Change
Re: The Power to Change
Eugene Stovall (estovall@ousd.k12.ca.us)
Tue, 24 Sep 96 17:16 PDT
John,
Sometimes we must struggle against great odds because the stakes are equally
great. It sounds that you have waged a great struggle in the area of
universal service and educational discounts and you are a bit weary. But,
you must have confidence that others are equally committed and will continue
the struggle. Others know what the stakes are for their children and will
not merely roll over and hope that the FCC, their lawyers and their experts
will represent the interests of our children. The telecommunications giants
stand to make billions... the telecommunications CEOs already earn millions.
The name of the game is not sympathy or pity...its knowledge and commitment.
Schools must continue the demand for a fair share of a public utility that
has been subsidized and funded from the millions of dollars paid by the
American taxpayer and utility rate payers. The United States Congress has
passed a law which has the impact of eliminating the power of the monopoly
to fix rates and develop technologies to benefit their interests. This law
will empower the American people not only to use the telecommunications
superhighway to expand the educational horizons of their children, but also
to open up opportunities for employment and community development. Major
corporations including telecommunications giants are downsizing in order to
beef up stock prices. We should use technology no merely to accumulate
wealth for a few but to provide a decent living for the many.
We must look beyond our narrow, parochial views. There are many small
telecommunications companies which have been denied access to the
telecommunications marketplace... we can work with them. There are a number
of organizations who do not believe that the telephone national association
should be given the responsibility for administering the universal fund;
this association only decides how much of the universal fund each of its
members will get... We should join those calling for an objective, neutral
administrator with a broadly representative board directors including a
representative from the educational community. The Telecommunications Act
requires unbundling; let us turn to the scientists at our universities to
look at the way that the unbundling of telecommunications services can meet
the needs of education.
There is much too much to be done before throwing in the towel and begging
for mercy. "Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
Eugene Stovall
>Hi all,
>
>I have read others'92 comments daily and appreciate all I have learned
>from all of you. The technical as well as the pedagogical posts are
>excellent. I wish to enter a more philosophical thread and hope others
>will followup.
>
>We, as educators, can lobby the FCC through this and other venues. Yet,
>my experience precludes success. Bill Cosh has well represented the
>post passage results of Wisconsin's telecommunications bill.
>The only group that can change education via telecommunications is the
>FCC.
>
>Mr. Hunt, Commissioners, and the many lawyers at the FCC: You have the
>power to change the direction of PK-12 education.
>
>You alone have that power.
>
>I am positive that the FCC has the technical advisors who understand the
>present technology and who are aware of the different evolving
>technologies. I am positive the FCC has the lawyers who can write
>regulations that will supply a Universal Service plan to all PK-12 and
>libraries that will supply us with the needed resources to change
>education.
>
>I wonder, though, if the FCC can withstand the pressures of many large
>companies, many lobbyists, and national political pressures.
>
>In the summer of 94, before the Wisconsin Telecom bill was passed, a
>major Milwaukee paper had a headline that stated Kids would be the FIRST
>on the SuperHighway. I called the reporter and asked him who supplied
>him with the facts. His source was a telecommunication company. I
>lobbied for the Wisconsin bill and worked with a regional president of
>one of the telecommunication companies. After passage, he would no
>longer accept calls from me about education issues.
>
>I do not believe our efforts here or efforts from many other sources
>will balance out the many who will oppose us. They have the expertise,
>the money, and the personnel to interact with the FCC in ways we would
>not and could not consider.
>
>Simple put, Mr. Hunt and the Commissioners of the FCC have the power to
>change education profoundly. Do they want to see education changed?
>--
>
>John D. Gravelle
>Merrill Senior High
>106 Polk Street
>
>Merrill, WI 54452
>
>715-536-4594
>
>gravelle@dwave.net finger gravelle@dwave.net
>
>
>