Tech CEOs call for broader computer science education in new letter

More than 500 notable people in business, education, and the nonprofit sector are calling for governors and education leaders to update K-12 curriculums to allow “every student in every school to have the opportunity to learn computer science,” according to a new letter posted publicly at https://www.ceosforcs.com/. The list of signatories includes many prominent figures in technology, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon founder and executive chair Jeff Bezos, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, and Meta founder, chairman, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

“The undersigned commit our support by collectively creating employment opportunities for computer science students in every city in the USA, and in every sector, from manufacturing to banking, from agriculture to healthcare,” the letter reads. “Many of us offer internships to help these students find their career pathway. Many of us have funded efforts in CS education, to support underserved communities. But there is only so much industry can do by ourselves.”

“Now is the time for action, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Together we urge you, for the sake of our students, our economy, and our country, to work together to update the K-12 curriculum, for every student in every school to have the opportunity to learn computer science,” it continues. You can see the full list of signatories on the letter’s website.

Separately, some of the signers also expressed their support on Twitter. “Coding is one of the most valuable skills a person can learn,” Tim Cook wrote. “It can open new doors, jumpstart careers, and help big dreams seem like achievable goals.”

“When I was 13, computer science changed the course of my life,” Bill Gates tweeted. “I was really lucky to have access to a computer that early on. I hope this initiative will give every student the same opportunity.”