[1st-mile-nm] Richardson on the 'digital divide'

[Richard Lowenberg]

Last night, at Howard University in Washington, DC, PBS hosted a debate
among the Democratic candidates running for president.  After the event,
Internet activist and blogger, Andy Carvin had a chance to speak with four
of the candidates about their perceptions about the digital divide and the
role schools might play in bridging it.

The full text of his blog is at:
www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2007/06/ask_a_presidential_candidate.html

Here is Bill Richardson's brief response.

"There should be a national plan to have broadband across the country to
narrow the digital divide. We should have science and math academies to
produce more engineers, up our scores in science and math. And then
lastly, I believe the federal government needs to say that the digital
divide is real. That because our minorities, and in minority
neighborhoods, don't have the same access to computers. We need to take
steps like have a computer for every child in the seventh grade - laptop
computers. Find ways to increase computers in the home. Find ways for the
federal government to play an active role in not just funding some of
these programs but working with the IBMs, the Microsofts to provide more
technology. Especially in minority communities."


------------------------------------------------
Richard Lowenberg
P.O.Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504
505-989-9110,  505-603-5200 cell

New Mexico Broadband Initiative
www.1st-mile.com
------------------------------------------------