Students walk out of class in protest of Idaho education reform plan - story w/pics

[Kadie]

Boise High school students protest on the steps of the Idaho statehouse on Monday, Feb. 28, 2011 in Boise, Idaho. Around 200 students walked out of classes Monday and gathered at the statehouse to voice their opposition to education reform bills currently working their way through the Idaho state legislature.


Boise High School students, from left, Laryssa Rubens, Kayla Otto, Chance Nowak and Mary Ayres stand and cheer as motorists pass by the Idaho statehouse on Monday, Feb. 28, 2011 in Boise, Idaho. A group of about 200 students walked out of classes at Boise High School Monday and gathered at the capitol to rally opposition for the public education reform bills currently working their way through the Idaho state legislature.


Boise High student Conner Marx holds up a computer with the message "This in not my teacher" while participating in a student protest on Monday, Feb. 28, 2011 on the steps of the Idaho statehouse in Boise, Idaho. About 200 students from Boise High walked out of classes on Monday and rallied at the statehouse in opposition to the education reform bills currently working their way through the Idaho state legislature.



Students walk out of class in protest
of Idaho education reform plan

NWCN.com
Posted on February 28, 2011 at 11:56 AM

NAMPA -- The protests against Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna's education overhaul intensified today.

Hundreds of Idaho high school students left their classrooms and took to the streets to have their voices heard.

snip...
Many of the students don't like the part of the plan that requires them to take online classes.

"Our generation is just on the computer playing around, they're not going to want to be doing school on there too," said Nampa High senior Alamdra Vell.

They also don't want to see their class sizes increase.

"If you're struggling or if you just don't get it, you'll just have to get it or ask someone else because your teacher will probably be busy with 30-40 other students before you," said Mager.

more...
http://www.nwcn.com/news/Students-walk-out-of-class-in-protest-of-Idaho-education-reform-plan-117086173.html


Idaho's education reforms attract computer makers

By: JESSIE L. BONNER 02/27/11 10:47 AM
Associated Press

As Idaho looks at education reforms that could place laptops in every high school, computer companies are already eyeing what could become a lucrative contract with the state.

Public schools chief Tom Luna unveiled his sweeping overhaul at the start of the 2011 Idaho Legislature, calling for the state to place laptops and other technology in the hands of high school students while making online courses a requirement to graduate.

The legislation call for the state Department of Education to provide a classroom's worth of mobile computing devices, which could be laptops to start and later come in the form of other electronics such an iPad or another tablet, in every high school for the next five years.

While online education providers stand to profit in Idaho should lawmakers decide to make their courses mandatory, computer makers could also make a bundle if the reforms are placed into law. And a handful of companies have already contacted the state.


Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2011/02/idahos-education-reforms-attract-computer-makers#ixzz1FIM6wdtb

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[MedleyMisty]

2. One of the reasons I haven't been here in years

I got sick of all the hate for people 30 and under. Oh, they're too busy with their iPods and iPhones to care about anything, they're lazy, they're apathetic, etc.

I'm seeing a lot less of that these days. Wonder why? Reality getting in the way of stereotypes and prejudice? Maybe - but I also see a lot more cool people here in general than I did years ago, when I did not feel very comfortable here at all being a young female working class Southerner.

Go Idaho peeps! You're giving me faith in the species!

[xxqqqzme]

3. "...Altogether, a statewide contract could be worth

an estimated $57.2 million over five years...." This is less expensive than teachers?

Who pays for the ISP? Are they taking the computers home? Are textbooks on DVDs? Are the kids required to show up at a physical building everyday to sit in classrooms? If they are, isn't waste of transportation fuel?



Is neil b*sh one of the 'educational' contractors?