Tech Inequalities
In reflecting over my history with tech in Unit 5, it is not surprising, because I’ve always known it, but to put it out there makes it real and sad…real sad.
The district gives each elementary classroom a standard tech package: 2 desktop PCs, a Smartboard with a projector, and your staff laptop. Now, here’s where the inequality comes into play…it comes down to money and support. I know, it’s not news, but it’s sad to see it and experience it. It is good to know that the lower income schools can use some Title I money to go toward tech that enhances learning, but when they don’t have parental support or money coming in from PTO, it makes it hard to get any “extras.”
It is also worth noting that not even the staff have equal access across schools. Each school should have a black and white copier and a color copier. All schools I’ve been to have the black and white copier, but not all have a color one. If I didn’t move schools, I wouldn’t have known what I was missing, and maybe that’s what they’re banking on. Most schools have a laminator, which seems like it should be a standard staple within a school, but my current school doesn’t have one. Past schools have either budgeted for it or have had the PTO support it. My second school had a Riso Machine (pronounced Rizzo, but unfortunately it can’t duplicate awesome first basemen like the name implies). This machine was old but fabulous. It allowed us to copy on construction paper, something we can’t do now with our black and white copiers.
It is irritating, but it is something we have just come to accept and it doesn’t seem like we can really do anything to equalize access until politicians agree that education is a priority.
