Statewide, private junior high and high schools are implementing laptop programs for their students. BSM is one of these schools, hoping to carry on its junior high laptop program into the high school in the upcoming years. As technology becomes more ingrained into society, these schools feel that using these programs are beneficial. However, we feel that our school should consider the impact these laptops have on students before we get them for the wrong reasons.

Having laptops causes disctractions for students. The Moore Library is filled with 7th and 8th graders who use their computers to create discordant melodies on “Garage Band” or have mini photo-shoots with their friends. During class, students tune out from the regular PowerPoint lesson plan, knowing that they can simply download all the taught material later.

Also, these laptops cause a loss of creativity. Online projects that require the use of applications such as PowerPoint, are replacing traditional hand crafted projects. Class time is spent behind computer screens, rather than in class discussion.

Traditional hand written notes, a crucial skill for any student, are no longer needed since all the teachers’ lectures can be found online. All of these important skills, such as class discussion and human interaction, are being lost and replaced in the classrooms.

Not only would we lose creativity, but the diversity of learning would  also lessen. Only one format would be used to teach every subject, leaving fewer routes to explore for students.

We do understand that advancing technology is becoming more available and helping society. Yet, just because it is more available doesn’t require BSM to use it at the cost of compromising the learning and experience of the students. If we want students to have the skills to actively make a difference in this world, laptops are not a good idea.

Furthermore, BSM is willing to continue to put the laptop program for the high school despite the costliness of the program. Many are in financially constrained situations and are finding it difficult to pay the current BSM tuition bill. Adding laptops to the high school would increase the school tuition.

The modern world is becoming technologically dependent very fast. We do understand that in the future it will be prevalent in the school systems. Yet there are other ways to use technology in the classrooms rather than having a personal laptop for each student. An idea is having classroom sets of computers.

This wouldn’t require students to carry their laptop to and from school, which often leads to damage and expenses to fix them. Since they wouldn’t be taken home, the students wouldn’t be able to wastefully use them to, for example, make “Garage Band songs” in the school library. Therefore, traditional non-technology dominated classroom projects and discussion could prevail.

It is important that BSM should consult student body representatives before making any final decisions on this laptop program. This is an important decisions for the school, and students will be greatly impacted by it.