Arguments

Is it smart to be spending $18.2 million dollars for the purchase of iPads?

It is very clear that this answer is a blunt NO!

  • WHERE ARE THE STATISTICS TO SHOW THAT THIS PLAN WILL WORK? WHERE IS THE DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN iPADS AND THE INCREASE OF SCORES? IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE THAT SHOWS THIS PLAN WAS THOUGHTOUT THROUGHLY AND STASTICALLY BASED?

 

  • If iPads do not go home, how will students access the materials on the iPads? The District responds that they can access them via the internet on their home computer. Then the question is, why can't they access it at school via a computer? 
  • Even if the district were to claim that these bonds and grants can only be contributed to technology, why must we spend them on iPads for science classrooms? This money could be spent on upgrading computer systems, science lab equipment, etc.
  • Teachers have been teaching without iPads for forever. It is going to be difficult to get all the teachers and students to learn how to use the iPads, how to change lesson plans to fit the iPads. It only makes it more difficult on the teacher. Nothing that you can do on an iPad you can’t do with paper and books. 
  • Once criminals know that every little kid on the streets is carrying an iPad, that makes the kids a MAJOR target for criminals. Also, kids can steal iPads from other kids, or break/damage them.
  • When software updates, which will probably happen about once a year, how are you going to update them? Have parents do it? PAY extra IT people to update all the software?
  • How long will each iPad really last? Newer ones are coming out all the time, so we may need to upgrade within a few years. There’s also the issue of how long students will be able to keep these iPads in good condition. Are we going to end up paying another $18 million after 3-4 years because the iPads are simply no longer fit for use?
  • A major part of an elementary school kids’ learning is learning and practicing writing. Students will not be able to learn these things if they’re doing everything on an iPad and not physically writing.