Heather Sutherland was excited to learn her public school system was using laptop computers to teach elementary students such as her daughter. Until, that is, she found out parents were expected to pay the nearly $1,500 cost.
“I said, ‘What? You must be joking,’ ” Sutherland says. “I think it’s unfair that the (school district) is requiring us to ‘pay to learn.’ “
Schools should be teaching that nothing of value is truly free. It appears that some parents don’t understand that. Either the parents buy their own laptops or the school makes everyone pay via taxes.
On the other hand, I certainly don’t like the idea that the school gets to pick the specific computer I have to buy. What if I already have three laptops, do I really need to buy a fourth?! And why pick an operating system used by only 10% of the population? If you’re going to go with an alternative OS you might as well go with a free one to save money.
Unless this school district is in a wealthy neighborhood, I predict the school board to change their minds or be shown the door at the next election.
