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How To Help Our Public Schools With Technology?

armorer writes "I'm a programmer engaged to an inner-city public school teacher. I've been thinking for a long time now about what I can do to help close the technology gap, and I finally did something (very small) about it. I convinced my company to give me a few old computers they were replacing, refurbished them, installed Edubuntu on them, and donated them to her classroom. I also took some vacation time to go in, install everything, and give a lesson on computers to the kids. It was a great experience, but now I know first-hand how little technology these schools have. I only helped one classroom. The school needs more. (Really the whole district needs more!) And while I want to help them, I don't really know how. With Thanksgiving a week away and more holidays approaching, I suspect I'm not the only one thinking about this sort of thing. I know it's a hard problem, so I'm not looking for any silver bullets. What do Slashdot readers do? What should I be doing so that I'm more effective? How do you find resources and time to give back?"

2 of 378 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Freecycle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    No, look for the computers you donated on craigslist after one of those 'inner-city' students steals them and puts them up for sale.

  2. Re:Freecycle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Hey, it's not just the inner city. My university in particular used to have problems with computers being stolen until they got locks.

    Fucking affirmative action.