Let's Reward Chicago's Dumbest Students With A Laptop!

[Annie]

i'm from chicago, i think it's a good idea everywhere

Ok, why? And how?

hi annie, i believe in education, people can't help where they're born. you'd have to have seen cabrini green. the "dumbest" (don't mind bullshitter, it's his word and he's a neanderthal) or more apt "least educated" should get any access to information, regardless of politics, to help pull themselves out of squalor.
my brother said an interesting thing one time, he said "instead of dropping bombs on iraq we should have bombarded them with laptops and blackberries and other instruments of communication and education, then let it run it's course"
it hasn't worked with iran yet, but they are better for having "facebook for instance". i didn't read edwardo carrochios text, but the headline premise is a good one.
i'm trying to figure out why the mexican hater, uses "bullfighter"... unless maybe he too is a mexican, or wishes he was. either way, the boat has sailed on communicating with him.

Hi back. I'm a teacher and one of the most optimistic of them when it comes to kids being able to succeed through education. I know of Cabrini, I mentored a girl from there and another from Robert Taylor 25 years ago in university studies.

I strongly believe in the integration of technology in schools and within lesson planning. However, this is not a winning proposition given a whit of common sense. I base that on a basis of knowledge regarding secondary students, which doesn't even come close to the picture of 7 or 8 year olds carrying around laptops.

 

[washamericom]

OH laptops! Great a better way to melt their minds. More games. More social networks. Something to break that will need fixing.

Sorry what a DUMB idea.

too cynical

Not quite. More of a realist.

As it is now school is free or shall i say daycare is free. If parents want to pay for laptops, all of the associated hardware and upkeep for their children, great.

touche

 

[washamericom]

Ok, why? And how?

hi annie, i believe in education, people can't help where they're born. you'd have to have seen cabrini green. the "dumbest" (don't mind bullshitter, it's his word and he's a neanderthal) or more apt "least educated" should get any access to information, regardless of politics, to help pull themselves out of squalor.
my brother said an interesting thing one time, he said "instead of dropping bombs on iraq we should have bombarded them with laptops and blackberries and other instruments of communication and education, then let it run it's course"
it hasn't worked with iran yet, but they are better for having "facebook for instance". i didn't read edwardo carrochios text, but the headline premise is a good one.
i'm trying to figure out why the mexican hater, uses "bullfighter"... unless maybe he too is a mexican, or wishes he was. either way, the boat has sailed on communicating with him.

Hi back. I'm a teacher and one of the most optimistic of them when it comes to kids being able to succeed through education. I know of Cabrini, I mentored a girl from there and another from Robert Taylor 25 years ago in university studies.

I strongly believe in the integration of technology in schools and within lesson planning. However, this is not a winning proposition given a whit of common sense. I base that on a basis of knowledge regarding secondary students, which doesn't even come close to the picture of 7 or 8 year olds carrying around laptops.

i'll bet you're an awesome teacher, and thank you for your service.
laptops would be age appropriate, the sturdy ones become handmedowns,
i'm not talking about a seven year old with a state of the art apple. plus they could learn lessons of responsibility on their laptops. this is going to happen soon, it probably hss somewhere in the world. i know 5 year olds that can dust the average adult with computer skills.

 

[ConHog]

There is no way poor parents will be asked to pay for an insurance policy. So what will happen is the laptops will be mishandled and broken or sold for drugs and the kids will just get a new one. Anyone wanna place a wager?

Wanna bet. I just converted our high school over to laptops. Each parent is required to sign an agreement that they will pay the $100 deductible if the laptop needs to be replaced. No we don't provide any alternative. You sign it or your child does not get to enroll in our school. Yes, the school picks up the insurance premiums. It is MUCH cheaper than buying textbooks.

A public school?

Ok. so how do you explain to the parent who opts out of the program that their child will be attending school elsewhere?
Unless you are with a private school, I am calling bullshit.

yep, and not a single parent tried to get out of signing the agreement.

 

[ConHog]

The laptops should have NO internet access. The kids would spend their school days rat tat tatting away on such brainless sites as facebook and other waste of time sites.
Plus, in order to have a school with 3,000 laptops on a WiFi network, the school system would have to build mega- sites due the extremely heavy use of bandwidth. This construction would be cost prohibitive creating a need to boost property taxes. When taxes go up, people with the means, sell out and flee to the suburbs. This would further erode Chicago's already weak tax base. Those left behind would see even higher taxes.
This proposal just does not work. Too expensive.

You obviously have very little IT knowledge. Our school is small, I'll grant you (around 600 students 9-12 grade) but the principal is the same. Our gateway prevents students from visiting social sites, our teachers monitor their laptops while in classes for other inappropriate uses. As for bandwidth, A T1 connection can easily accomodate most public schools. Even in Chicago.

Actually we do EVERYTHING over our internal network , completely paperless classes. We don't even issue paper report cards. you're welcome to access our network and print one yourself, but we won't. Same with handbooks, notices, and whatever else. The savings are incalculable.

T1 would be a hardwired connection to the school server then broadcast on a WiFi network. At that point the heavy use of the WiFi would create traffic problems.
The "principal"?....Did you mean "principle"?....
No it is not the same. Use of bandwidth is limited. The distribution system can easily become overloaded by excessive use.
Same a as cell site where there is heavy use by calls and data use. Dropped calls and slow internet connections are attributed directly to traffic.
It's very nice for your small private school. Chicago's schools are often 5 times the size of yours.
My friend went to school in Cicero, IL. His high school had 3,500 kids on 4 floors.
Now just what do you think 3,500 laptops all clamoring for a spot on the internet would do to that bandwidth.
Don't tell me I do not know about this stuff. you expose yourself as unknwoledgable in this area as this has nothing to do with "IT".

You simply add wireless access points as needed.

 

[washamericom]

You obviously have very little IT knowledge. Our school is small, I'll grant you (around 600 students 9-12 grade) but the principal is the same. Our gateway prevents students from visiting social sites, our teachers monitor their laptops while in classes for other inappropriate uses. As for bandwidth, A T1 connection can easily accomodate most public schools. Even in Chicago.

Actually we do EVERYTHING over our internal network , completely paperless classes. We don't even issue paper report cards. you're welcome to access our network and print one yourself, but we won't. Same with handbooks, notices, and whatever else. The savings are incalculable.

T1 would be a hardwired connection to the school server then broadcast on a WiFi network. At that point the heavy use of the WiFi would create traffic problems.
The "principal"?....Did you mean "principle"?....
No it is not the same. Use of bandwidth is limited. The distribution system can easily become overloaded by excessive use.
Same a as cell site where there is heavy use by calls and data use. Dropped calls and slow internet connections are attributed directly to traffic.
It's very nice for your small private school. Chicago's schools are often 5 times the size of yours.
My friend went to school in Cicero, IL. His high school had 3,500 kids on 4 floors.
Now just what do you think 3,500 laptops all clamoring for a spot on the internet would do to that bandwidth.
Don't tell me I do not know about this stuff. you expose yourself as unknwoledgable in this area as this has nothing to do with "IT".

You simply add wireless access points as needed.

i think conhog has the upper hand on it knowledge...

 

[Baruch Menachem]

The college I attend has several thousand attending. I don't know how they handle the issue, but it seems a non issue when I am there.

Of course, most of the computers in use are wired in to the network in class.

I am sure it is an interesting issue in logistics.

I see no point in laptops for really young kids. High school, might be a real good idea. But the parents should pay for it. Otherwise, the computers at the school can be used between and after class.

 

[daveman]

Wouldn't it be cheaper if he just said, "I'll give everyone in Chicago a hundred bucks to vote for me"?

Same principle.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

Well, a good laptop averages around 650, but the principle is the same.

 

[QUENTIN]

Where do you get "dumbest students" from? Living in a poor district = dumb?

 

[syrenn]

Where do you get "dumbest students" from? Living in a poor district = dumb?

If they give the laptops to everyone, then the "dumbest students" would get them too. Trust me some students are dumber then rocks!


And what do you think they would be doing with the laptops. Studying? HHMM i wonder.

 

[Annie]

hi annie, i believe in education, people can't help where they're born. you'd have to have seen cabrini green. the "dumbest" (don't mind bullshitter, it's his word and he's a neanderthal) or more apt "least educated" should get any access to information, regardless of politics, to help pull themselves out of squalor.
my brother said an interesting thing one time, he said "instead of dropping bombs on iraq we should have bombarded them with laptops and blackberries and other instruments of communication and education, then let it run it's course"
it hasn't worked with iran yet, but they are better for having "facebook for instance". i didn't read edwardo carrochios text, but the headline premise is a good one.
i'm trying to figure out why the mexican hater, uses "bullfighter"... unless maybe he too is a mexican, or wishes he was. either way, the boat has sailed on communicating with him.

Hi back. I'm a teacher and one of the most optimistic of them when it comes to kids being able to succeed through education. I know of Cabrini, I mentored a girl from there and another from Robert Taylor 25 years ago in university studies.

I strongly believe in the integration of technology in schools and within lesson planning. However, this is not a winning proposition given a whit of common sense. I base that on a basis of knowledge regarding secondary students, which doesn't even come close to the picture of 7 or 8 year olds carrying around laptops.

i'll bet you're an awesome teacher, and thank you for your service.
laptops would be age appropriate, the sturdy ones become handmedowns,
i'm not talking about a seven year old with a state of the art apple. plus they could learn lessons of responsibility on their laptops. this is going to happen soon, it probably hss somewhere in the world. i know 5 year olds that can dust the average adult with computer skills.

No one is talking about the kids ability to use the net, even to use it wisely. We're talking about the cost, upkeep, and responsibility of taking care of at least several hundred dollars of electronics daily. In Chicago, with ice on sidewalks and running to avoid taxis and buses. No matter how good the case, laptops cannot take multiple drops, anymore than a violin can. Then there would be the issue of someone targeting kids to steal the laptops, contrary to earlier post, the gangbangers are as capable of removing engravings or tags from a laptop as they are vin numbers from cars. Chop shops are chop shops.

Having class access to sets of laptops or notebooks, that is a plan. For a fact I know that Apple has a rental agreement so that there is constant turnover of older for newer, keeping the working computers at optimum number. I'm certain if the district would buy thousands of such, they would be able to get an agreement with supplier to make available very good purchase for at home pc no doubt. In fact I'm quite certain the majority of homes in the city already have computers and net.

 

[syrenn]

Hi back. I'm a teacher and one of the most optimistic of them when it comes to kids being able to succeed through education. I know of Cabrini, I mentored a girl from there and another from Robert Taylor 25 years ago in university studies.

I strongly believe in the integration of technology in schools and within lesson planning. However, this is not a winning proposition given a whit of common sense. I base that on a basis of knowledge regarding secondary students, which doesn't even come close to the picture of 7 or 8 year olds carrying around laptops.

i'll bet you're an awesome teacher, and thank you for your service.
laptops would be age appropriate, the sturdy ones become handmedowns,
i'm not talking about a seven year old with a state of the art apple. plus they could learn lessons of responsibility on their laptops. this is going to happen soon, it probably hss somewhere in the world. i know 5 year olds that can dust the average adult with computer skills.

No one is talking about the kids ability to use the net, even to use it wisely. We're talking about the cost, upkeep, and responsibility of taking care of at least several hundred dollars of electronics daily. In Chicago, with ice on sidewalks and running to avoid taxis and buses. No matter how good the case, laptops cannot take multiple drops, anymore than a violin can. Then there would be the issue of someone targeting kids to steal the laptops, contrary to earlier post, the gangbangers are as capable of removing engravings or tags from a laptop as they are vin numbers from cars. Chop shops are chop shops.

Having class access to sets of laptops or notebooks, that is a plan. For a fact I know that Apple has a rental agreement so that there is constant turnover of older for newer, keeping the working computers at optimum number. I'm certain if the district would buy thousands of such, they would be able to get an agreement with supplier to make available very good purchase for at home pc no doubt. In fact I'm quite certain the majority of homes in the city already have computers and net.

I agree with you Annie. Another things to consider: Does the entire city of Chicago have free wifi? If these kids take the laptops home, they will need internet connection. Can poor parents on a limited income afford that?

 

[Annie]

i'll bet you're an awesome teacher, and thank you for your service.
laptops would be age appropriate, the sturdy ones become handmedowns,
i'm not talking about a seven year old with a state of the art apple. plus they could learn lessons of responsibility on their laptops. this is going to happen soon, it probably hss somewhere in the world. i know 5 year olds that can dust the average adult with computer skills.

No one is talking about the kids ability to use the net, even to use it wisely. We're talking about the cost, upkeep, and responsibility of taking care of at least several hundred dollars of electronics daily. In Chicago, with ice on sidewalks and running to avoid taxis and buses. No matter how good the case, laptops cannot take multiple drops, anymore than a violin can. Then there would be the issue of someone targeting kids to steal the laptops, contrary to earlier post, the gangbangers are as capable of removing engravings or tags from a laptop as they are vin numbers from cars. Chop shops are chop shops.

Having class access to sets of laptops or notebooks, that is a plan. For a fact I know that Apple has a rental agreement so that there is constant turnover of older for newer, keeping the working computers at optimum number. I'm certain if the district would buy thousands of such, they would be able to get an agreement with supplier to make available very good purchase for at home pc no doubt. In fact I'm quite certain the majority of homes in the city already have computers and net.

I agree with you Annie. Another things to consider: Does the entire city of Chicago have free wifi? If these kids take the laptops home, they will need internet connection. Can poor parents on a limited income afford that?

Years ago Daley spoke of providing, to the best of my knowledge never happened. Now that doesn't mean there isn't easy access, just about every coffee shop, library, school inside and out, has wi-fi and as long as the student knows how to access, not a problem. But there's still the issue of carrying around an expensive piece of electronics, an issue for any kid, but especially in high crime areas, where home is less likely to have the service.

 

[thereisnospoon]

You obviously have very little IT knowledge. Our school is small, I'll grant you (around 600 students 9-12 grade) but the principal is the same. Our gateway prevents students from visiting social sites, our teachers monitor their laptops while in classes for other inappropriate uses. As for bandwidth, A T1 connection can easily accomodate most public schools. Even in Chicago.

Actually we do EVERYTHING over our internal network , completely paperless classes. We don't even issue paper report cards. you're welcome to access our network and print one yourself, but we won't. Same with handbooks, notices, and whatever else. The savings are incalculable.

T1 would be a hardwired connection to the school server then broadcast on a WiFi network. At that point the heavy use of the WiFi would create traffic problems.
The "principal"?....Did you mean "principle"?....
No it is not the same. Use of bandwidth is limited. The distribution system can easily become overloaded by excessive use.
Same a as cell site where there is heavy use by calls and data use. Dropped calls and slow internet connections are attributed directly to traffic.
It's very nice for your small private school. Chicago's schools are often 5 times the size of yours.
My friend went to school in Cicero, IL. His high school had 3,500 kids on 4 floors.
Now just what do you think 3,500 laptops all clamoring for a spot on the internet would do to that bandwidth.
Don't tell me I do not know about this stuff. you expose yourself as unknowledgable in this area as this has nothing to do with "IT".

You simply add wireless access points as needed.

Oh..Just add them. Who cares?. Just a blank check ,right.
Do you have any idea the cost to have a WiFi network capable of that volume of usage?
It is cost prohibitive and unnecessary.
Just stop it. The taxpayers simply cannot keep coughing up the money for programs and dreams of educrats and politically motivated individuals looking for votes.
There is nothing you can post that is going to change my mind. Your opinion is no longer required. Good bye.

 

[syrenn]

No one is talking about the kids ability to use the net, even to use it wisely. We're talking about the cost, upkeep, and responsibility of taking care of at least several hundred dollars of electronics daily. In Chicago, with ice on sidewalks and running to avoid taxis and buses. No matter how good the case, laptops cannot take multiple drops, anymore than a violin can. Then there would be the issue of someone targeting kids to steal the laptops, contrary to earlier post, the gangbangers are as capable of removing engravings or tags from a laptop as they are vin numbers from cars. Chop shops are chop shops.

Having class access to sets of laptops or notebooks, that is a plan. For a fact I know that Apple has a rental agreement so that there is constant turnover of older for newer, keeping the working computers at optimum number. I'm certain if the district would buy thousands of such, they would be able to get an agreement with supplier to make available very good purchase for at home pc no doubt. In fact I'm quite certain the majority of homes in the city already have computers and net.

I agree with you Annie. Another things to consider: Does the entire city of Chicago have free wifi? If these kids take the laptops home, they will need internet connection. Can poor parents on a limited income afford that?

Years ago Daley spoke of providing, to the best of my knowledge never happened. Now that doesn't mean there isn't easy access, just about every coffee shop, library, school inside and out, has wi-fi and as long as the student knows how to access, not a problem. But there's still the issue of carrying around an expensive piece of electronics, an issue for any kid, but especially in high crime areas, where home is less likely to have the service.

I can hear the cry now and see the hands going out.

"But its wrong to make them go to a coffee shop to do their home work! Pay for my wifi too!

I agree, if parents cant afford to pay and absorb a loss of something that expensive then their children should not have them.

Which raises a different question. If they are stolen, once, twice, wrecked ,once twice..lost once, twice....do you still keep giving that kid a laptop or are they bounced from the program?

 

[Annie]

I agree with you Annie. Another things to consider: Does the entire city of Chicago have free wifi? If these kids take the laptops home, they will need internet connection. Can poor parents on a limited income afford that?

Years ago Daley spoke of providing, to the best of my knowledge never happened. Now that doesn't mean there isn't easy access, just about every coffee shop, library, school inside and out, has wi-fi and as long as the student knows how to access, not a problem. But there's still the issue of carrying around an expensive piece of electronics, an issue for any kid, but especially in high crime areas, where home is less likely to have the service.

I can hear the cry now and see the hands going out.

"But its wrong to make them go to a coffee shop to do their home work! Pay for my wifi too!

I agree, if parents cant afford to pay and absorb a loss of something that expensive then their children should not have them.

Which raises a different question. If they are stolen, once, twice, wrecked ,once twice..lost once, twice....do you still keep giving that kid a laptop or are they bounced from the program?

In all honesty, just seems a dumb idea to me. Well meaning, but aren't so many programs like this one?

I also see a possible liability problem. While the schools can and so provide filters, hopefully age appropriate, not so once the computers leave the building. What if a child connects with a pedophile or some other predator? If the school provides the portal that was previously unavailable wouldn't they possibly be liable?

 

[Baruch Menachem]

Back when I first came back to this board last year, there was a huge stink about the school accessing the computers and their internal cameras remotely. The school got in huge trouble about it. I still don't like the idea of schools able to access cameras remotely. In that case, the school gave very expensive Apple laptops to each student. There was a problem with a student doing something wrong and the kid got disciplined in school for an even that happend at home, because the school caught her doing it on a remote camera attached to the computer they provided. I don't feel comfortable with schools able to access kids bedrooms like that.

 

[daveman]

Well, a good laptop averages around 650, but the principle is the same.

There are more voters than students, I'd wager, so the individual cost goes down per bribe.

 

[Bullfighter]

i'll bet you're an awesome teacher, and thank you for your service.
laptops would be age appropriate, the sturdy ones become handmedowns,
i'm not talking about a seven year old with a state of the art apple. plus they could learn lessons of responsibility on their laptops. this is going to happen soon, it probably hss somewhere in the world. i know 5 year olds that can dust the average adult with computer skills.

No one is talking about the kids ability to use the net, even to use it wisely. We're talking about the cost, upkeep, and responsibility of taking care of at least several hundred dollars of electronics daily. In Chicago, with ice on sidewalks and running to avoid taxis and buses. No matter how good the case, laptops cannot take multiple drops, anymore than a violin can. Then there would be the issue of someone targeting kids to steal the laptops, contrary to earlier post, the gangbangers are as capable of removing engravings or tags from a laptop as they are vin numbers from cars. Chop shops are chop shops.

Having class access to sets of laptops or notebooks, that is a plan. For a fact I know that Apple has a rental agreement so that there is constant turnover of older for newer, keeping the working computers at optimum number. I'm certain if the district would buy thousands of such, they would be able to get an agreement with supplier to make available very good purchase for at home pc no doubt. In fact I'm quite certain the majority of homes in the city already have computers and net.

I agree with you Annie. Another things to consider: Does the entire city of Chicago have free wifi? If these kids take the laptops home, they will need internet connection. Can poor parents on a limited income afford that?

Come to 80% hispanic Cicero, just outside of Chicago where the Mexican homes has 3 or 4 sattelite dishes and they own $50,000 SUVs thanks to the stupid American government who financed the invasion of Cook County. And every kid has a cell phone to keep in contact with other gang bangers.