Ridley School District Ipads

So, Ridley School District has taken it upon themselves to say children as young as kindergarten are responsible enough to take care properly of a $400 device, and plan on giving out an IPad to every Ridley student on September 20th, 2013.  If you expect a pretty note about the benefits on mobile technology learning or internet, you have come to the wrong place.  I am so vehemently against this that I can barely express it.  Which is why it has taken me so long to get around to writing about it.  Lets start with the pros, shall we, its a much shorter list.  Ridley themselves only list 8 pros.  Here is their list:

1. iPads represent a new “space” in technology: This space is between the mobile space (phones and iPods)
and the portable space (laptops and netbooks). This “space” is expanding everyday.
2. Personalize learning: it is widely recognized the 1 to 28 one-way knowledge-transfer model is fast
becoming redundant. As teachers and lectures begin to create new ways of tackling this issue, the iPad
could play a useful role in this transformation.
3. Low maintenance: the iPad needs little if any maintenance and installing “apps” is simple, quick, and
easy – there is less need for technical support.
4. It’s a blank canvas; the iPad is a tactile and engaging handheld device which could transform the way
young people learn
5. Instant-on and all day battery: it’s possible to get on the internet instantly.
6. Auto-save: Apps on the iPad save automatically. No more excuses like “I forgot to save my homework!”
7. Contextual Learning: the iPad is an “anywhere anytime” learning device. This makes it ideal for projects
and learning which take place out of the classroom.
8. Personal Learning Studio: the iPad can be a science lab, literacy tool, research station, history archive,
language lab, art canvas, video editing suite, games console, and library.

I have to admit I love my Ipad.  It goes everywhere I go.  I also teach preschool children.  3 to 5 yrs old.  I do use my Ipad with my prek children, but I never allow them to pick it up and they stand right next to me the whole time.  They love it and consider it a treat.  There are some really great apps for their age and helps reinforce what I teach in a new and fun way. 

Ok, now with the cons, and yes that is the only pros to kids having an Ipad for learning. 

First, lets say each child will always act responsibly and carefully, you still can have the x-factor of life.  Not all of our richie, rich Ridley students are middle class as some might wish to think.  Some of these students actually qualify for free lunch, and foodstamps.  These children walk home from school, or their parents walk with them.  What about if its raining?  Snowing?  What if it is just wet outside and a car splashes a child walking.  How about slipping or falling down?  And what about those kids who go from school to after school activites such as baseball, football, soccer, or another activity.  Do those kids leave their bookbags in their lockers?  Oh right, Ridley doesn't give lockers until 8th grade.  So they are carrying those Ipads onto a field of active children.  Maybe they put them on a bench, under the bench, in the dirt, mud?  What do they care, its not like the Ipads are theirs. 
What about those kids who walk home by themselves.  They could be a target for thieves.  Don't tell me just cause someone steals that they are not intelligent!   Ridley is going to make a green shirt a sign for any thief.  My 9yr old might as well by wearing a sign that says, "I am 9 yrs old and can't fight back.  Ive got a $400 Ipad in my bag, go ahead, take it." Do you really think thieves don't know how to take a tracker off an Ipad??  You are only making our children targets.  What do you think will happen to the kid who doesn't take one home and gets accosted by a thief?  Who hasn't heard stories of would-be thieves beating the crap out of someone who didn't have what they wanted.  Do you think they wouldn't do that to a child?  Now how about a 16 yr old girl?  What do you think they will get? 
    Oh yes, my mind goes there.  Anyone who knows me knows I have an extremely paranoid mind, if anything can go wrong for a situation, I will see it. 
   Lets talk about those children who go from school to an after-care facility.  So Ridley believes if anything happens at an after care facility, that facility's insurance will pay for the Ipad.  Well, folks Ridley is WRONG!  I work in an after care facility, One my parents called every after care facility in the area and all say they will NOT be responsible for any IPads.  How does Ridley expect an after care facility to keep track of 30+ Ipads every single day.  I see bookbags in the wrong place, hanging open, thrown whereever.  I have seen what some of these young kids do with their kindles, and ds' One kid left their backpack open lying on the floor in the middle of the hall with their kindle directly on top.  Just waiting for any child to run down the hall and step on it.  How many DS' and kindles have we found and returned?  Too many to count.  And lets say the children all have their Ipads out, they are doing their homework and oh!  Internet bandwidth is exceeded and crashes?  Yeah, and what about the child who takes a peek at the internet password and connects with his personal device.  Maybe a young child then sees his inappropriate content. (yeah, that hasn't happened yet)
   What about the special needs child?  The children with ADHD or anger issues?  It already is the first defense for doctors to medicate children too young to say anything different.  I have my own issues with man-made medication and the too young brain but I will digress for now, this is about the Ipads.  Not all children with issues take medication and not all medication works all the time.  I have a five year old that picks up chairs and throws them, what if the next time its someone's Ipad?  And, what is with this new way to access the internet?  They will not be able to access facebook or twitter but yes to YouTube!  Tell me there is no way for my 9 yr old to see naked videos. Tell me she can't see any snuff films?  How about video game walk throughs for violent games?  Yeah, ok. 
    Here is a place my paranoid mind goes.  Doesn't the Ipad have a webcam?  Ridley says they will not activate it but how do we really know they are not watching??  What about for that matter, child predators that may be have to hack into the Ipad via the internet and watch your child?  Take photos from the camera?  Disgusted yet? 
   Here is my #1 reason for being against this.  Ridley wants all students to have one but will not take responsibility in any way.  They expect the parents to shoulder the responsibility burden, while the device still belongs to Ridley.  Its like "here, you must stay in my house, follow my rules, pay the rent, fix anything you break, but its not yours it is still mine!"  Would you say, "ok!"??  Yeah right, but Ridley expects that from each Ridley parent.  The child MUST have an Ipad, the parent MUST pay a fee and take responsibility, Ridley MUST do nothing.  I dropped my own IPad several times and cracked it twice just in the first year!  What do you think a child will do?  So it worked with the focus groups?  Probably heavily monitored too. Kids break rules, kids test boundries.  That is how they learn what is right and wrong is by making mistakes. There is no way to say this pretty, it is simply wrong.  The problem is too many parents are all like, "oh, my child will need it to complete some homework that will be graded?  Then I have to let them have it.  And $30 to buy insurance against accidents? Ok, here's my $30." But unfortunately parents, the $30 doesn't protect much.  And only the first incident.  My family can't afford $30, $30 some weeks is enough to buy my family of four groceries for a week!  Yes, last week without having to buy breakfast and lunch for my youngest I spent $33 and change for one week's groceries.  So to me, $30 is ALOT!  
   Lets not forget about the 'hold harmless' agreement every parent will have to sign at Back to School night before their child can even use it in school.  Can we all guess what that will say? 

So to sum up, My kid NEEDS an iPad for homework which will be graded. 
                      I am solely responsible for anything that happens to the iPad.
                      I will pay any fees that Ridley deems appropriate
                      I have NO guarantee my kid will be protected from inappropriate content.
                      The iPad belongs to Ridley and NOT my kid

I am sorry Ridley, that is too much responsibility for my child.  I will not allow her to take responsibility for YOUR property.

Sincerly,

Angry Mom