Laptop not a Book

Noticed computers replacing books in libraries? Noticed more and more students are doing research on computers? Well according to Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, a laptop computer is not a textbook, and as such, money set aside for textbooks cannot be spent on computer hardware.

The opinion is in response to questions raised by the State Board of Education after state Rep. Kent Grusendorf, R-Arlington, authored a bill that would have changed the word “textbook” in state law to “instructional materials” to include the purchase of laptop computers. The bill failed to make it out of the state Legislature last year.

Textbooks are paid for out of the state’s Permanent School Fund, which is controlled by the State Board of Education. The fund contains about $20 billion and generates about $800 million each year. If the definition of “textbook” had been broadened to include laptop computers, the fund would have been gutted, said Geraldine “Tincy” Miller, chairwoman of the education board.

I think that laptops, used correctly could be a great educational tool, but I don’t think they should be given to students directly. I think they would help in certain situations, where words or basic pictures can’t do something justice. I think that their should be a larger computer fund for schools, and that textbooks, while important, are not as important as they used to be, especially since much of what is contained within the book can’t compete with the Internet in my opinion.

Source: Star-Telegram

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