Taylor the Teacher

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Message from the superintendent of our district today at faculty meeting: “our district is on the cutting edge of technology.” Yet, in this cutting edge school, I am teaching two sections of Broadcast Journalism with zero digital cameras, two analog cameras, ancient editing equipment (that’s in a pile on shelves in the media center), and one working PC. Each section has more than 24 students.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spends five percent of its income on technology. If our district were spending five percent of its income on technology, it would amount to 21 million dollars or so. Instead, according to the online budget information available, we’re spending 1.1 million.

And you’d think we’d be spending more than households, not less. Cable, Internet, iPods, video games, cell phones are made to help kids do things they’re already inclined to do: play and communicate. I expected to find us spending more than the average household simply because learning is more difficult than playing. We’re competing with a media-saturated culture and spending much less than we should to keep up. It’s a crime.