The district currently has a “no electronic devices” policy, which we feel is outdated. The district has shown that it does value technology by issuing laptops to teachers and purchasing Blackboard websites so teachers can have better webpages, so now they should include students.

Although all students did receive their own email accounts at the start of the school year, none of them have worked consistently. With so many internet email sites blocked, students cannot access their projects and papers that they have emailed to themselves.

Instead of taking away or limiting technology, our district should embrace it. For example some schools in the area actually issue each student a tablet at the beginning of the school year. Others have a “bring your own technology” policy which enables students to bring in tablets to use throughout the day.

Students use these tablets in class to type mini essays and responses, and then send them to the teacher. Our district should consider this policy for students who prefer typing over handwriting papers and essays.

Students can get their work done faster and more efficiently while typing out their thoughts on passages they had to read.

It would save costs on paper too because the teacher could have assignments accessible digitally in class instead of making so many copies.

With school-issued devices, faculty would have the ability to turn off the internet for certain assignments, and the devices would have the same restrictions as the computers in the building. Instead of wasting time walking to computer labs or having the hassle of pushing around computer carts, the teacher could just ask students to pull out the tablets and work in class.

The limits to technology are endless, and the district should embrace it instead of blocking it, to the benefit of everyone.