What happens when internet service is a barrier to remote learning? And what happens when resolving the internet access problem is in the hands of a private company, which holds a regional monopoly on broadband internet service and has no incentive to negotiate?

That appears to be the case in Worcester, where city officials are going public with their frustration over Charter/Spectrum’s failure to negotiate a deal to give low-income families affordable internet access.

In a sharply worded July 20 letter, Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty, City Manager Edward Augustus, and school Superintendent Maureen Binienda wrote that they are “deeply disappointed” with Charter/Spectrum and “frustrated with your inability to work with us.”

The city officials wrote that since May, the company’s response has been, “We hear you but are unwilling to work with you to address your extraordinary challenges. Period.”

Augustus told Radio Worcester that Charter/Spectrum is one of the worst companies he has ever dealt with as city manager.

Internet access became a major challenge statewide when schools shut down in March, and students relied on internet service to do their schoolwork. Many parents also needed reliable internet to work from home. In a 2018 survey, 18 percent of Worcester households lacked internet access.

Petty told CommonWealth that with students likely to continue some amount of remote learning in the fall, it is “an equity issue” to ensure every family has access to the Internet. “We understand they’re a business, we’re not looking for something for free. We’re looking for something where it becomes affordable for our families,” Petty said.

In response to the pandemic, Comcast offered its Internet Essentials service – which is typically available to low-income households for just $10 a month – free for 60 days to all new customers, through the end of 2020. But Comcast is only available in certain regions of Massachusetts. Charter/Spectrum is the only broadband internet provider in Worcester.

The Worcester officials said they initially hoped to convince Charter/Spectrum to offer a low-cost plan like Comcast’s. They then asked Charter/Spectrum to let the school district bulk purchase access to the lowest-price plan, so the district could give access to its families. The company said no.

Charter/Spectrum said in an email that it did offer students, teachers, and their families access to free 60-day internet service at speeds of up to 200 Mbps. But that offer expired June 30. It waived late fees and did not disconnect customers experiencing economic hardship, also through June 30. Charter/Spectrum also offers low-income families a broadband plan that costs $18 a month, plus taxes, fees, and $5 a month for a wi-fi router, for a 30 Mbps connection. “At Charter we’re committed to continuing a dialogue with the city on ways to help residents get and stay connected,” the company said in a statement.

In a letter to Worcester officials dated July 8, the company touted both these plans — even though the free service for students had expired. The only plan offered for the city or school district to buy in bulk for families was one that cost $50 a month, rather than the cheaper plan reserved for low-income residents.

Petty said that is too expensive for the city, which would likely be relying on contributions from the Worcester Together fund, which solicits money from foundations and private donations, to purchase the plans.

“At present the products and service charges that you are offering are simply unacceptable but what is more outrageous is your disinterest in engaging with us and responding to our requests for assistance,” the city officials wrote in their letter, adding, “Our students should not be penalized for having the misfortune of living in a city served by your company.”

SHIRA SCHOENBERG

FROM COMMONWEALTH

Private and charter schools have generally made the transition to at-home learning more smoothly than their district public school counterparts, which may provide some lessons for the fall.

The attorney for the former superintendent of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home disputes a central contention of an investigative report on a deadly outbreak of COVID-19 at the facility — that the decision to merge two dementia units was the chief cause.

Student advocacy groups file lawsuits against the Boston Public Schools and the Boston Police Department seeking documents on the sharing of student information with federal immigration agencies.

Opinion: Gov. Charlie Baker is not doing enough to promote environmental justice, say Sens. Sal DiDomenico and Jamie Eldridge and Reps. Michelle Dubois, Adrian Madaro, and Liz Miranda….Andy Ellner, the co-founder and CEO of Firefly Health, says the state needs to build on the promise of telehealth, that the technology shouldn’t just be a Band-Aid….Thomas Lavallee says the horror of COVID’s toll on nursing home patients underscores the need for permanent changes in the long-term care sector.

FROM AROUND THE WEB

BEACON HILL

Massachusetts lawmakers vote to install a plaque in the House Chamber commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.’s address to the Legislature in 1965. (MassLive)

MUNICIPAL MATTERS

Robert Moulton, a North Adams city councilor and school committee member, comes under withering criticism from Mayor Thomas Bernard and other officials for calling Black Lives Matter a terrorist organization and dismissing the coronavirus pandemic. (Berkshire Eagle)

HEALTH/HEALTH CARE

At least 10 people tested positive for coronavirus after attending a party recently at a house in Chatham. (Boston Globe)

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is boosting reimbursement rates for child psychiatrists in an effort to address a shortage of therapists for young people. (Boston Globe)

WASHINGTON/NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Four million people in the US have tested positive for the coronavirus, up from 3 million just 15 days ago. (NPR)

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a searing condemnation on the House floor of Rep. Ted Yoho after the Florida Republican called her a “fucking bitch” in a confrontation earlier this week on the Capitol steps. (New York Times)

President Trump revokes a rule designed to diversify the suburbs. (Associated Press)

ELECTIONS

President Trump, who earlier mocked Democrats for plans to hold a virtual convention, pulled the plug on the Republican National Convention events in Jacksonville as the coronavirus spreads out of control. (Washington Post) Former MSNBC talk show host Chris Matthews says President Trump is aiming to sabotage the presidential debates. (Boston Globe)

With the US Senate race tightening, Joe Kennedy is getting more aggressive in his attacks on incumbent Ed Markey. (WBUR)

A top federal highway safety official is raising concerns about  the “right to repair” proposal that will appear on the November state ballot. (Boston Globe)

As mail-in ballots start arriving — some to the wrong households — concerns are mounting about voter fraud. (The Salem News)

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

Cambridge-based Moderna lost a key patent case yesterday affecting the company’s prospective COVID-19 vaccine. (STAT)

EDUCATION

Parents had mixed reactions to news that the Boston schools may adopt a hybrid plan of in-person and at-home learning this fall. (Boston Globe)

Cape private schools are going ahead with plans to reopen their buildings in the fall — and hoping students show up in person. (Cape Cod Times)

The state releases new guidelines on what schools will look like this fall. The guidelines suggest having outdoor classes if possible, and keeping students with the same group of peers, rather than shifting them from class to class. (MassLive)

Bus and school room capacity are the key limiting factors as school districts prepare to reopen in the fall, with some districts saying there’s just not enough room for all students to return to in-person learning at the same time. (WBUR)

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/COURTS

Attorneys who practice at Boston’s immigration court say the situation is chaotic as officials struggle to deal with more cases. (WBUR)

Calls are growing to reopen the investigation into the 2010 fatal police shooting of Easton resident DJ Henry in a New York City suburb. (Boston Globe)

MEDIA

In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal editorial page says it won’t be cowed by a letter signed by 280 colleagues criticizing the opinion pages of the newspaper. (Wall Street Journal) Joe Pompeo, in Vanity Fair, has details on the fracas.

PASSINGS

Mitchell Adams, former state revenue commissioner and a descendant of the famous Adams family that boasted two US presidents, dies at 75. (State House News Service)