Throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, SOMOS has been focused on efforts to address the digital divide, ensure fair academic opportunity for ESOL students, and a safe-school reopening of schools.
SOMOS has been fortunate to have drawn attention to our collective work and to receive positive media attention for the organizing efforts of our student leaders. Below, you’ll find information about each of our ongoing campaigns, as well as links to relevant media coverage.
Closing the Digital Divide:
In Baltimore 1 in 2 Black and Latinx households lack access to broadband internet, we’re taking on corporate giants, the FCC, and keeping them accountable.
- A Former Comcast Employee Explains Why Low-Income WiFi Packages Aren’t Helping Students (Buzzfeed) – January 2021
- A Former Comcast Employee Explains Why Low-Income WiFi Packages Aren’t Helping Students (Buzzfeed) – January 2021
- https://www.law360.com/articles/1312179/isps-fcc-urged-to-lower-student-broadband-costs (Law 360) – September 2020
- https://www.wypr.org/post/baltimore-students-join-peers-detroit-philadelphia-call-comcast-fast-free-internet (WYPR) – September 2020
- 3 takeaways from the Baltimore City Council’s hearing on tech access and education (Technically Baltimore) – August 2020
- Baltimore City College student activists work to close the digital divide (Baltimore Fishbowl) – August 2020
- Students, city lawmakers call on Comcast to expand free Wi-Fi, hotspot access (Baltimore Business Journal) – July 2020
- Comcast pressed to do more for student digital equity (Baltimore Brew) – May 2020
- Four students who can only access the internet through one shared hotspot (Baltimore Brew) – May 2020
Fair Educational Opportunity for ESOL Students:
We are fighting for ESOL students to have equal access and fair representation in Baltimore Highly Selective Schools.
- Baltimore students learning English say they still don’t have a fair shot at the city’s top schools (Baltimore Sun) – December 2019
- Recent Immigrants Shut Out of Elite High Schools (WYPR) – June 2018
- Baltimore students learning English say they still don’t have a fair shot at the city’s top schools (Washington Post) – December 2019
Safe Reopening Demands & #StudentStrike:
We demand a reopening plan that ensures the safety of each and every single one of our students, educators, and families.
The reopening plan for schools in the midst of a global pandemic failed to take into account the safety of our students
- Baltimore City teachers union calls for virtual learning amid rise in Covid cases (Baltimore Sun) – December 2021
- Baltimore School employees, students at odds with leadership over closing schools amid Covid-19 surge (CBS/WJZ) – December 2021
- Battleground Baltimore: Rip Spy Plane (The Real News) – February 2021
- City Schools Reopening Plan Receives an “F” from Students (OP-ED by A’niya Taylor, Joshua Lynn, and Kimberly Vasquez) – January 2021