[Mr. Jeeves]

Great. Now if we can start eliminating teachers for computers, we'll be getting somewhere.

[Paleo Conservative]

I don't think the quality of computer displays is adequate. Does any research exist about the effects on children of reading from monitors?

[RLK]

This is a hoax... ...right?

[mpoulin]

Instead of lugging heavy textbooks to class, they are among the first in the nation to rely solely on computers for their lessons.

The textbook elimination comes as growing back pain complaints prompted the California legislature to pass a law limiting how much school books can weigh.

Did it ever occur to these mental giants to buy two sets of books -- one for school and the other for home?

[PFKEY]

The textbook elimination comes as growing back pain complaints prompted the California legislature to pass a law limiting how much school books can weigh.

Wonder what the enlightened legislature will do when these students complain about eye strain or repeatative stress injuries from using a mouse?

[InfraRed]

Sounds like a good way to obscure class materials from pesky parents.

[Eva]

This can't be any worse than the liberal textbook lite that we have been seeing.

[A CA Guy]

Keep the books in case of a magnetic pulse.

[JohnLoyRocker]

Two part answer

Part One
I've been earning my living as a computer guy for the last 13 years or so, and you would think I'd be all for computer-based schooling. Yet I still find serious studying using online computer courses difficult and/or annoying.

I much prefer studying with books, while using a pen and paper to take notes. Writing things down as you read them seems to reinforce the learning (at least for me).

I also find reading long articles on the web and scrolling a page at a time is very tiring and distracting.

Part Two
These little wimps need to GET SOME BACKBONE, not be relieved of their book-burdens. They NEED the friggin excercise of carrying books. If it's carrying books complaints now, it'll be G-Damn carpal-tunnel syndrome complaints in the headlines a few years down the road.

What is wrong with America these days ? ? ?

I'll tell you. It's the liberal EVERYONE'S A VICTIM syndrome.

I started playing varsity football as a 5'-10", 104 Lbs. high school freshman and finished 4 years later at 6'-0" and never more than 135 Lbs.(granted, I AM INSANE). I must have looked like a rag doll getting tossed around by a rabid dog most games, but absent broken bones, I kept getting up and kept playing (what a great game).

The point is, being physically tough and facing physical challenges was part of growing up. It never would've even OCCURRED to me to complain about carrying books.

Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. LOL

[madfly]

ping

[BADJOE]

1st the books. then the teachers, and finally the bricks and mortar.

Why would anyone send their most precious possession, their child to a victem disarmament zone, when with a computer, their child can have the very best teacher in every subject and all of the worlds libraries in an instant at the touch of a button.

Think about it. No travel time or expense. No out of home food expense. No keep up with the Jonses clothing expense.

The kid can learn in two hours more than he can learn all day in a government indoctrination center, without his butt and his mind being numbed.

If ever there was a collary to the 19th century blacksmith shop, it is the 20th centuries public school system.

The day is fast approaching when no one will show up at the school house door.

Then we need to get rid of the child labor laws, so we can buy the little people a lawn mower or a pressure washer and send him out to learn the pride of a job well done and the value of an honest dollar.

[AgentEcho]

I don't know about anyone else, but for some reason I have a short attention span when reading articles on my computer. I wind up printing hard copies to read. If others are like this then we'll wind up using more paper/trees.

Maybe Earth First will start a literacy program and support the making of books. Talk about a quandary.