FCC chair Brendan Carr weighs cutting school internet subsidy

newsJul 10, 202637723

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr asked the agency in late June to review the E-Rate program, which helps public schools, libraries, and some private schools pay monthly internet bills, and framed the review around protecting children from excessive screen time. E-Rate was created by Congress in 1996, when about 14 percent of schools and libraries had internet access; NPR reports that access is now near 100 percent and the program has long enjoyed bipartisan support and oversight by the FCC across administrations. Carr, who helped write the Project 2025 chapter targeting federal broadband policy, approved a notice of proposed rulemaking that explicitly calls for limiting screen time on E-Rate-funded networks. Educators such as David Thurston, who oversees technology for 33 districts in California's San Bernardino County, warn that a reduction or elimination of E-Rate funding would shift tens of thousands of dollars in ongoing monthly internet utility costs onto districts. Since January, states including Alabama, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia have passed laws reexamining technology in schools, and the Los Angeles Unified School District recently approved a policy to limit student screen time. Advocates for limiting screen time say cutting E-Rate is not an appropriate tool, while others see the review as part of a broader effort to reduce federal broadband spending. If the FCC moves to shrink or end E-Rate support, school districts nationwide would likely face higher recurring internet bills and have to reallocate local budgets to cover connectivity costs.

Aaron Rupar

@atrupar.com

Brendan Carr on whether Disney will be able to keep their broadcast licenses: "That's a pretty long putt for them ... broadcast licenses are not sacred cows"

4895h ago

Resister148

When this regime is over, Brendan Carr is going to be both unemployable and the subject of a massive class action lawsuit.

John McKenzie73

Disney will sue. And Carr will likely lose.

nashbroncofan.bsky.social45

Maybe @cnbc.com broadcast license should also be up for review, given that they don’t push back on this administration’s bullshit.

Wasabi37

does he know what a sacred cow is? (or a broadcast license for that matter)

Aaron Hurt28

Do it. I dare him to revoke it. The backlash will be outrageous

Saint Sherman - The Ultimate Patriot21

Leopard eats face. Oh well.

Quoting this

White Rose Witching32

There are few forces in this world as terrifying and merciless as Disney lawyers. I'd say "good luck" but I honestly hope they eat him alive.

QuoProQuid26

one thing I struggle with in terms of ensuring accountability and deterring future illegality is that donald trump is very clearly going to issue a blanket pardon for himself and every single Administration official before he leaves office

Dread Pirate Sex Badger22

Citizens United established that corporations have free speech.

Djarum20

Go ahead and try it. Pulling Disney's licenses in NYC, Chicago, LA, Philly, Houston, Bay Area and Durham–Raleigh will go over GREAT with the public.

ol tonyo7

maybe disney should spend money supporting democrats

Michael P. Breen6

The Party of Freedom of Speech™️ strikes again!!!!

Ian Johnson5

Disney+ is planning a free-to-access ad-supported stream Streaming requires no broadcast licence, so migrate ABC onto that and remove all leverage from the administration's threats

Bob Levine5

Seems more like scare tactics but I wouldn't count on them not following through. So, then what? Law suits? SCOTUS? And what if Disney says screw it and moves ABC to streaming?

wes(is no longer)injapan3

Okay. Good. On day 1 any new Democratic administration is revoking Fox and every other propaganda outfits license.

Alan Richardson3

This administration uses language with such precision…..

Resister

@chrissmithmuso.bsky.social

When this regime is over, Brendan Carr is going to be both unemployable and the subject of a massive class action lawsuit.

1485h ago

Sparkling Ice53

And possibly fleeing to a non-extradition country. I hear North Korea is beautiful in the spring.

biscuitdrives.bsky.social1

Maybe he will have a career on the LIV Tour

Deirdre1

I hope Kimmel & the view go after him personally

Accountabilabuddy🔻1

He needs a separate tribunal just to catalog and punish his crimes.

Pam Spaulding

@pamspaulding.bsky.social

Disney has deep pockets. Brendan Carr needs to stop jaw-boning and just do it...they'll see you in court. Discovery will be fun. And let a jury watch Carr on tape making brazen threats to media companies. 📺 bsky.app/profile/atru...

164h ago

nodietofworms.bsky.social1

Hey Brendon, speaking of sacred cows, how is the Donald?

calgal931

We know they have extremely good legal representation bc they’re never in court and hardly ever in the media. Civil litigation ain’t “bean bag.”

Jonathan

@frakitall.bsky.social

The FCC's "screen time" nonsense is just Project 2025's cynical ploy to gut school internet funding.

73h ago

krimzennial.bsky.social

@krimzennial.bsky.social

Also, Trump's name may be all over this, but he isn't the one thinking this shit up. This was orchestrated by Stephen Miller and Brendan Carr.

1017h ago

The Media and Democracy Project

@mediaanddemocracy.bsky.social

Brendan Carr is abusing his power. Protecting and rewarding Trump regime allies: the Ellisons (we must #BlockTheMerger), Musk (Starlink), protecting Murdoch/Fox (refusing to act on our petition to deny filed in 2023) while jawboning Disney, pressuring The View, Kimmel …acting as censor-in-chief.

64h ago

Jake Lahut

@jakelahut.bsky.social

Oh boy, Brendan Carr has a CNBC interview coming up

127h ago

Jake Lahut11

Hold up, wait a minute: Why is Brendan Carr pronouncing CNBC parent company Versant as if it rhymes with croissant? What is going on here?

Bill Kuchman3

But yet he refuses to go on America’s Favorite Podcast Within a Podcast.

sbharvey.bsky.social1

I am watching the authoritarian Brendan Carr FCC chair now. Why is CNBC platforming this asshole. Sara Eisen seems like she he isa asking almost reasonable journalistic questions, rather than the softball questions of the 🍊 Turd regime officials she usually asks.

Andrew M_Founder 🇬🇷 🇺🇸

@andrewmfounder.bsky.social

Brendan Carr is Goebbels. He should end his career like Goebbels did.

65h ago

NewPostNews

@wabrahamwashington.bsky.social

The greed of the wealthy never seems to abate. American taxpayers help fund the fiber optic cables that brought even more customers to cable providers. Most K-12 schools have fixed hours and their bills should reflect that. One thing we will not hear is the schools of the wealthy complaining.

38h ago

democracy4u.bsky.social

@democracy4u.bsky.social

TIME TO EXPOSE Brendan Carr (FCC Chairman) and Russell Vought (Director of the Office of Management Budget) are crafting his governing agenda. Both contributed to the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 blueprint and currently lead key regulatory and budget initiatives within his administration.

35h ago

ℂ𝕒𝕥𝕞𝕒𝕟ℝ𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕤 🏳️‍🌈 ✡️ 😸 🌊

@stevefm20.bsky.social

Trump has been a frequent attacker of the network. Carr is referring to petitions filed last week by a group of conservative organizations accusing the network of supporting the Chinese Communist Party and of racial, political, and sexual bias. www.mediaite.com/media/tv/lic...

32h ago

For the People

@sadworld.bsky.social

Brendan Carr is messing with private business to silence free speech.

45h ago

Kinlika

@kinlika.bsky.social

The Heritage Foundation Leonard Leo Russel Vought Brendan Carr Bessent Various others All administration figures but in the shadows Project 2025 installed them in quiet backwaters Unassuming men in grey suits They will be in place in some form or other long after trump has gone

2Yesterday

Natalie Davis

@nataliedavis.journa.host.ap.brid.gy

No internet, no screen time? FCC weighs cutting subsidy that lowers school internet bills https://www.npr.org/2026/07/10/nx-s1-5878405/fcc-erate-schools-internet-discount?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

10h ago

The Dark Rattler

@thedarkrattler.bsky.social

Brendan Carr should ask Ron DeSantis how it went when he tried to go up against Disney a few years ago. Spoiler it did not go well for him.

35h ago

1 source

npr.orgNo internet, no screen time? FCC weighs cutting subsidy that lowers school internet bills

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FCC chair Brendan Carr weighs cutting school internet subsidy

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