REFORM: Laptop plan is flawed

The last District 271 school board meeting focused attention on Tom Luna's plan to rein-in education spending. The Board and teachers' union are strongly against the plan, which will increase average class size by about two students. Ms. Bauman expressed the desire to keep many electives available to students, even though there are often few students in those classes.

There was also a presentation by Mr. Nelson regarding the logistical nightmare and expense of giving a laptop to every 9th grader, which Mr. Luna's plan supposedly requires. Here's an idea that addresses both concerns.

First, many of the elective courses with low student attendance could be the ones offered online. CHS is dropping German due to few students taking the course, yet a second language is required for admission into many universities. With language-learning software such as Rosetta Stone, online learning is recognized as effective.

Second, no way should we give a laptop to every ninth grader. Instead, let's outfit certain classrooms with laptops - and those classrooms can be where the online classes are provided. This would eliminate much of the expense and many of the logistical problems Mr. Nelson identified. As far as Luna's plan to support teacher merit over seniority, it makes sense to me. Our children deserve no less.

BETTY WOODARD

Coeur d'Alene