As another school year comes to an end, the Fullerton School District is telling parents that it’s time to pay $1,500 for a brand new laptop for each of their children. Included in the presentation is a reminder that if they don’t get a laptop, the school district will ship their children off to a lesser school under the premise that they must have 100% participation to continue the laptop program.
First, a little background — this little shakedown started as the brainchild of Fullerton School District Superintendent Cameron McCune, with the assistance of board member Hilda Sugarman. McCune had grandiose visions for his future career as an educational consultant, and he figured the best way to make himself popular was to manufacture a “digital revolution” and give away computers to every child in Fullerton. Click here to read more.
That is absolutely unbelievable and typical at the same time. There is no question that this is illegal. Even worse is the fact that our schools purchase thousands of computers each year, computers that are not maintained because schools can’t afford computer techs. Until someone can figure out how to help schools maintain and support their computer equipment, the waste will continue. It usually starts with a grant someone writes, the grant supports all of the new “stuff” and none of the people it takes to learn how to use the stuff and maintain it. The companies involved in the grant get their money for the stuff and walk away without any accountability for their products. When things break down or need updates, there is no one there to do it and the “stuff” starts gathering dust. By the time the dust is thick enough, the item has become obsolete and is thrown out. The sad part is, most of this stuff is only used for a short period of time.
Talk about extortion! I remember “back in the day” when kids that wanted to take music either had to rent or pay insurance on the musical instrument and sign a contract stating if the instrument was lost the parents would have to pay for a replacement.
While student musical instruments weren’t as expensive as these MAC’s (which $1500 sounds like a ripoff to start with)rental makes more sense than having to fork over $1500 bucks for something that will be outmoded in a year anyway.
that is ridiculous. extortion to the max! and even if they “had” to get laptops, there are decent computers that will help kids in school that cost under 4oo$. they dont need a fancy one.