Ald. Aram Ayalon (D-3) says that, as an educator, he is very concerned about low income kids’ access to the internet. He is calling for a study into whether the city might be able to provide free Wi-Fi in low income neighborhoods.
“It is a national issue of unequal access to the internet,” says Ayalon.
A 2015 analysis by the Pew Research Center of what is being called the, “homework gap,” found that,
some 5 million households with school-age children do not have high-speed internet service at home. Low-income households – and especially black and Hispanic ones – make up a disproportionate share of that 5 million.
Ayalon is submitting a City Council petition to require that appropriate city departments look into the potential for the city providing free Wi-Fi for low income neighborhoods in the city.
The petition Ayalon submitted calls for city departments to supply information, “Listing of cost of adding cables to provide free Wi-Fi in low income areas within the City (North Oak, Arch Street area, etc.).”
Ayalon, who is a professor at the CCSU School of Education and Professional Studies, says that he concerned that many kids in the city do not have access to the internet to complete school work as other kids, in households with broadband internet access, can.
Publicly available Wi-Fi could, it is hoped, allow kids to access the internet, and the information and educational resources there, even if their homes are not connected to broadband internet by landline.
“Wi-Fi is available to those who can afford it,” says Ayalon, “but many people do not have access to it.”
The Council petition Ayalon is proposing would also require city departments to explore, “cooperating with other municipalities with significant low income population to jointly provide free Wi-Fi.”
The petition would also require city departments to provide, “Information regarding the exploration of grants and state support in providing free Wi-Fi to low income communities.”
Ayalon says that he wants to, “make access to the internet a right, just like access to electricity, telephone and gas.”
The idea of exploring ways to address the digital divide came up during discussion on a recent proposal for city borrowing that included funding for city information technology.
In addition to concerns about access of children to the internet, Ayalon says that there is also a concern that about a lack of Wi-Fi coverage at city fire stations. Ayalon says that he plans to amend his petition to also explore adding Wi-Fi coverage at fire stations.
A City Council petition is a procedure in New Britain by which an individual member or more than one member of the Council is empowered to require consideration of action from or a report by a city department or commission. Council members frequently use this process to formally propose that the city take action on a particular concern.
Ayalon’s petition exploring free Wi-Fi would require reports from city departments to the City Council by December 5, 2018.
The petition is on the agenda of the November 14th Council meeting.
