The FCC is the Bully Boarding the School Bus: The Eyes are (Not) Having It

by Patricia Burke of Safe Tech International

Excessive screen time has been directly linked to eye damage. In addition, reading in a moving vehicle is associated with motion sickness, dizziness, and nausea. Yet the Federal Communications Commission is funding installation of Wi-Fi on school buses, purportedly so that children can complete their homework. Don’t fall for it.

When Paying Attention Saved a Busload of Kids

About a year ago, Business Insider reported, A 7th grader who saved his school bus after the driver passed out was the only one not distracted by his phone, report says A Michigan seventh grader guided his school bus to safety last month after its driver passed out. Dillon Reeves jumped to action because he was not on his phone, his father told CBS News. Other students on the bus told CBS that they were either listening to music or playing games. “What else are you going to do when you don’t have a phone? You’re going to look at people, you’re going to notice stuff. You’re going to look out the window,” Dillon’s father, Steve, told CBS. “It’s a very powerful lesson, maybe a change-the-world kind of lesson.”

May 14, 2023, the Guardian reported, Not having cellphone allowed US boy to save runaway bus from crashing While other students on the bus were engrossed with their devices, Dillon Reeves noticed the driver in distress and guided bus to safety. “A Michigan boy who recently stopped a school bus from crashing after the driver lost consciousness leapt into action because he was the only passenger not distracted by an electronic device, according to a new report from CBS. On Sunday, two weeks after seventh-grader Dillon Reeves regained control of a school bus when its driver became unconscious, the network reported that the boy’s parents’ refusal to provide him a cellphone paid off in a big way.”

NPR’s version of the story omitted the fact that other children were distracted by devices.

Metaphorically, much of society is like the more than 60 children who were focused on their devices, while one child was paying attention. We need to look up from our devices.

Background: Authorizing Funding for Wi-fi on School Buses

On June 26, 2023, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel launched an initiative to expand the E-Rate program to install Wi-Fi hotspots off campus, including on school buses and in students’ and library patrons’ homes.

In response to the FCC’s ruling, Matthew and Maurine Molak filed a petition for review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Mr. and Mrs. Molak are the founders of David’s Legacy Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to kids’ online safety and advocacy against cyberbullying.

Sen. Cruz has introduced bipartisan legislation to limit children’s access to social media at school by requiring schools receiving E-Rate funding to prohibit access on subsidized services, devices, and networks. While existing law requires schools collecting E-Rate subsidies to certify that software is in place blocking or filtering access to obscenity, child pornography, and other harmful sexual content, there is currently no provision requiring schools to block access to distracting and addictive social media apps or websites.- Source

The FCC’s Decision Is Both “Dangerous” And “Unlawful”…