My daughter, in 9th grade, has plenty of textbooks - but is allowed to bring her own iPad to school for note taking. I have noticed her note taking ability to have improved immensely since she started bringing it to school, as she types faster than she writes.
However, classwork and assignments to be turned in must be handwritten - and legibility is part of the grades.
Using the iPad to take notes is fine. That’s not the issue. The issue is schools using them as educational tools to replace textbooks.
Kids know these items as toys for playing games, accessing the Internet, email, Facebok, Twitter and the like. The mindset is already there and trying to convert that mindset to use the device as an educational tool wil be an uphil climb.
In the long run, I think it is a diservice to the kids and serves as a distraction from the learning environment.