[DM-MUG] News re: computers for Jr. High Students

[dmmug@dmmug.org]

This was on the Sherlock news regarding Apple stock tonite.  I offer it 
without content as its relevant to the suggestion for giving laptops to 
students in Des Moines:

17 December 2003, 08:36am ET
STILLWATER, Minn. (AP) -- A plan to provide junior high school students 
with laptop computers generated enough anger among voters to elect two 
write-in school board candidates, but the laptop critics say they won't 
move to sever a deal with Apple Computer.

It will cost too much to break the $1.7 million contract, said board 
member George Thole, who was among the minority on the school board to 
vote against the plan. Opponents of the plan thought the contract 
itself was too expensive.

The program will provide Macintosh iBooks to more than 1,000 students 
at Oak-Land Junior High and about 130 junior high teachers over five 
years. Teachers and students will be allowed to take their computers 
home.

Superintendent Kathleen Macy said it would cost more than $500,000 to 
back out of the deal. Thole said he had attorneys look at the contract, 
and the district possibly could get out of it for less. However, that 
wouldn't be prudent, he said.

"We're going to go ahead with this and hope it works," Thole said. "We 
can't leave the teachers and students at Oak-Land up in the air while 
we go through all the legalities."

Nancy Hoffman, a write-in candidate elected last month on a platform 
opposing the laptop program, said she won't push to cancel the contract 
when she joins the board in January. Hoffman said she wishes the 
district had tried the program at the high school first, rather than 
with junior high students.

She's also worried the district won't be able to afford to follow 
through on its plan to expand the program to all students in grades 
even through 12. "I hope it's successful, but I don't know where this 
money will come from," Hoffman said. "We don't have any extra."

Teachers at Oak-Land received their laptops this month and have begun 
extensive training, said Keith Ryskoski, director of administrative 
services and technology. Students will start getting their laptops the 
last week of January or first week of February, starting with ninth 
graders.

Oak-Land Principal Tom LeCloux continues to work on a computer-use 
policy that he expects to be ready by Dec. 29. The policy will address 
appropriate uses for the machine, the Internet and e-mail. The district 
has Internet filters in place, and the laptops won't allow students to 
download additional software.