My children attend Fisler, and both are in the laptop program. I could not ask for a better program, for once my kids are not bored in class, they are excelling in their school work. I commend the school board for starting this program!! I encourage all interested parents in contacting the board and asking to tour one of the schools. You would be amazed at the level of enthusiasm the students have. It is a great program, I could not ask for a better learning environment for my children.

The world is changing and we as parents & the schools need to change with it. This program is preparing my children with a strong technology base, and since all of you are reading this on the computer, I would have to assume that you use modern technology. If the school can not afford to pay for something like this, and you wish for your child to have an advantage, then yes, I think it is more than fair for the school to ask us as parents to pay. I would rather pay for laptops, and have the school use the money elsewhere, on items such as more qualified teachers, new books, maybe even an extra classroom.

The program is very strongly monitored, the kids are not playing.

If you have any doubt, talk to the children and the parents that are actually in the program.

RLS,

Thanks for your comments. Did you hear any complaints from people who said they couldn't afford it? Do you have other parents who might make comments on this blog?

Was the district able to make low interest loans for kids whose parents couldn't afford it?

Tell us more about your school. Where is it located? When was the program instituted?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Tim Keaney

The Fullerton School District's "Laptops for Learning" program puts an Apple iBook laptop computer into our children's hands 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, this laptop is not being funded by the School District, but by parents at a cost of $1,500, despite the fact that this is a PUBLIC school district. Many, many parents are opposed to paying this cost.

A parent group has been formed, which consists of parents from various schools throughout Fullerton. While many of us have concerns about the "Laptops for Learning" program itself, most of us are not fundamentally opposed to the use of technology in our schools. However, we are steadfastly opposed to the District asking the parents to fund this program. By law, all students attending public schools are entitled to a FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION and the District cannot force parents to pay for a laptop for their child.

The California Constitution provides our school children with the right to a free public education. Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy and the framers of our Constitution saw the importance of an educated citizenry. It is our feeling that if we allow the Fullerton School District (or any other public school district) to force parents to pay for a laptop, it opens up the door to our rights being chipped away more and more year after year until California school children have been priced out of an education. This is where we have chosen to draw the line and we encourage others to stand up for their children's rights and fight for fair treatment for all of Fullerton's school children.

Heather Sutherland
www.FullertonParents.org
Parents for Good Public Education

Please allow me to share the following summary of the laptop settlement between the FSD and the ACLU. If you have any specific questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will continue to update the "Fullerton Parents for Good Public Education" website as more info becomes available. Please check "FullertonParents.org" periodically for updates.

Thank you for your continued interest and support.

Heather Sutherland
Fullerton Parents for Good Public Education
www.FullertonParents.org

Fullerton Parents for Good Public Education is a parent group which was formed in response to the Fullerton School District’s “Laptops for Learning” program whereby elementary and junior high-aged children at four Fullerton schools have access to an Apple iBook laptop computer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at a cost of approximately $1,500 per computer, per child. Despite the fact that FSD is a public school district, the FSD was not paying this $1,500, but had instead turned to parents and required that they pay this sum in order for their child to participate in the program.

FPGPE felt the “pay-to-play” component of the laptop program was illegal and retained the services of the American Civil Liberties Union. FPGPE and the ACLU rightly claimed that the FSD was violating the free school guarantee provided public school students under the California Constitution, which states that public school districts cannot impose fees for any educational activities they offer. As such, a free public education is a fundamental right guaranteed our children under the California Constitution.

FPGPE, the ACLU and the FSD entered into a settlement agreement which removed the “pay-to-play” component of the laptop program. As such, the FSD may no longer require that a family pay for their child to participate in the laptop program. The FSD was required to make this change and remove the parent-pay requirement as this“pay-to-play” component of the laptop program violated California law.

FPGPE provides the following summary in order to assist Fullerton families and others in understanding the “before” and “after” of the laptop program. If you should have additional questions concerning the laptop program, we would encourage you to contact us via e-mail at “info@FullertonParents.org.”

Thank you and best wishes to you and your family.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

BEFORE FPGPE AND THE ACLU DISPUTED THE LEGALITY
OF THE FSD LAPTOP PROGRAM

PAY-TO-PLAY, UNCONSTITUTIONAL LAPTOP PROGRAM

1. If the program was implemented at your child’s school, you were required to pay approximately $1,500 for your child to participate in the program, or your child had to change schools.

2. If the laptop program was implemented at your child’s school and you requested financial assistance to pay for a laptop for your child, you were subjected to humiliating financial scrutiny, including face-to-face meetings with District personnel and demands for tax returns and other personal financial information.

3. When FPGPE disputed the legality of the “pay-to-play” aspect of the program, the FSD proposed a “remedy” to this program by suggesting the creation of laptop and non-laptop classes. They later dropped this idea when FPGPE objected to this unfair segregation into the “haves” and “have-nots.”

4. You had no say as to whether or not the laptop program was implemented at your child’s school. While the FSD made claims that the decision was collaborative, in reality the decision was top-down and parents had little or no input.

5. While settlement discussions were ongoing, the FSD proposed that the four laptop schools would be designated as “alternative schools,” which could cause neighborhood kids to be displaced for their home school. This idea was also later dropped by the FSD when the school community objected.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

AFTER FPGPE AND THE ACLU’S
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FSD

PAYMENT NOT REQUIRED - STUDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE AT NO COST

1. The FSD will no longer be permitted to illegally charge parents for their child to participate in the laptop program. Instead, parents will be given the option to (1) pay for a laptop computer and own the laptop at the end of the lease term, or (2) borrow a laptop computer at no cost.

2. All parents who have paid sums in the past, or who are presently paying, for their child to participate in the FSD laptop program will have the option to (1) continue under the lease agreement and own the laptop at the end of the lease term, (2) rescind/cancel their contract and seek a refund, or (3) rescind/cancel their contract and not seek a refund.

3. All parents who have paid (or are paying) for laptop computers will be eligible to seek a refund of the sums paid.

4. If a school is interested in implementing the laptop program at their school site, two informational meetings must be held to disseminate information to parents. Further, an impartial survey of parents will be conducted, with survey results posted to the FSD website.

5. If the survey indicates that a school would like to proceed forward with implementing the laptop program at their site, the principal must indicate that the school can finance the program and that it has met the required 90% financial threshold. That is, the school must indicate that it has the money to fund the program through a combination of voluntary parent purchases, grant monies and/or local/state/federal funds. If a school is unable to meet this 90% threshold, the program will not move forward at that school.

6. If a parent wishes to purchase a laptop computer through the FSD (as opposed to borrowing a computer at no cost), but requires financial assistance, such a request will be processed pursuant to the FSD’s District-wide policy for aid/scholarships (which prior to this settlement differed from school-to-school).

7. Children whose parents agree to voluntarily purchase a laptop computer will be treated in the same manner as children whose parents elect to borrow a laptop from the school at no cost. That is, purchasers and borrowers will commence and discontinue using their laptops in class at the same point in the school year. Further, the laptops will be functionally equivalent with regard to hardware, software and speed.

8. Because the FSD has proven to be disinterested in respecting the constitutional rights of Fullerton parents and children, the FSD will be required to pay homage to the free school guarantee by including the following statement in any materials describing the laptop program: “The Fullerton School District is committed to the California constitutional mandate of making educational activities available to all students without regard to their family’s ability or willingness to pay fees or request special waivers.”

* * * * * * * * * * * *

FPGPE is very pleased with this settlement agreement. Many had claimed that we were objecting to the educational merit of the laptop program, or that we weren’t willing to “sacrifice” for our children or were looking for a “free ride.” Nothing could be further from the truth. FPGPE is made up of a large group of committed parents, school volunteers, room moms and dads, PTA members, coaches, and Girl Scout and Boy Scout leaders. In short, we “sacrifice” for our children every day.

FPGPE could not sit idly by when we observed that the FSD was violating our children’s Constitutional right to a free public education, a fundamental right that has been part of the fabric of our society for many years. Education is the cornerstone of a democratic society and FPGPE knows the importance of an educated citizenry. We could not sit by and allow the FSD to chip away at a right – a right that if violated could have far-reaching, long-term implications. We chose to draw the line for our children and future generations so that the message would be sent loud and clear – we will not allow a public school district to require payment over and above the taxes we already pay and the donations we already make when opening this door could eventually result in California’s school children being priced out of an education.

Thank you to all who helped us fight for Fullerton’s children and the free school guarantee.