patrick.net

What about buying her an iPad, or (even better) a similar device that she can use, if there is one, or (best of all) building an equivalent?

"Don’t buy an IPAD, Make one!"

Now that would be educational.

I encountered the same thing at the local community college. They kept sending everyone direct mail ads offering "free" courses, and they're always borrowing money with public bond initiatives to promote "free" education. So I tried to register for a "free" course, and got bombarded with fees: "health services fee" (they don't offer any health services), online registration fee, etc. I ended up not enrolling. Then I read in the local paper that 92% of their budget goes to staff, they are losing their accreditation, and they may have to close.

If somebody set up a toll both at the entrance to the public library, I'd want to know who did that, on whose authority, and where is the money going. But when it's education or "health", we aren't supposed to ask questions. I find that especially ironic in the context of education.

Yes, we have an iPad so I'd be happy if they'd just let her use that, but it doesn't look likely, since they have some funky special keyboard, and they want complete control over it, erasing all apps and content that's on it and installing just school apps.

I can try that approach though.

I've heard that California public universities technically cannot charge tuition, so they make it up with fees. Similar scam.

Great point about it being very much like putting up a toll booth at the entrance to the public library.

Patrick, you are a one man PIRG. I appreciate how you've used your site for advocacy on other issues besides housing. I'm way out of my depth here, but one avenue worth investigating may be an escrow account. It'll probably cost you more in the long run, but you could have a third party hold the insurance funds (which will be released to the district only if the governor does not sign the bill this year).

Awful Patrick, awful. Fight this.

This is wrong.

Obviously illegal under the current law. Of course, one could make a case that the cost of an educational system should be socialized over those who have kids rather than over all people including the single. But that's another matter. Clearly, this poll tax is illegal. I'd sue the school system for punitive damages. They'd probably back down rather than risking far more money.

But yes, the insurance cost should be covered by the taxes that go to the public school system under the existing law.

I do find it offensive that the school is exposing kids to IPads. They should be using Android devices, not some proprietary Apple shit.

The more I think about this, the more I wonder where the fee came from and where it's going.

Big computer makers including Apple have tended to offer their products at deeply discounted prices for educational use, to maximize their market share in the next generation of customers and employees. So, Apple is getting some of the $, but they're providing in exchange a product that is worth at least as much as what they're getting. (I still think it would be better to have the kids build an Android or Linux device, but even that would involve some expense for parts.)

I suspect the markup is in the FIRE sector, specifically the Finance and Insurance side. A "middleman" is probably financing the cost for the school, and making a commission at both ends. I would want to follow the money, does the middleman have ties to school board members, e.g. "donating" to school board elections, etc. Consider how little the insurance actually costs: If a customer buys an iPad on a credit card, the card issuer often includes purchase insurance at no extra cost; they pay for that out of the fraction of a % that they get on the processing fee. How much would a rational person pay to insure a device that has no moving parts, is easily replaceable, and is going to be obsolete within two years anyway? That's where the hidden markup probably occurs, and in practice it is very likely shared out to decision-makers somehow.

I don't really want to alienate the school by suing them, but I'm not sure how else to get them to obey the law. Sheesh, you'd think the law would be enforceable somehow without lawsuits.

The more immediate thing is that my daughter is upset that everyone sees she's the only one who can't take it home. Anything I can do today?

The superintendent is not answering my emails.

Anything I can do today?

Lend her your iPad, then she can connect the special keyboard to it during the day and take only the iPad home. Even if she's only allowed to use the school's iPad during the day, there is probably some way to transfer the data back and forth.

Also, if the school refuses to provide information about their mandatory insurance and financing deal, a FOIA request might result in a lot of information without a lawsuit. Then maybe a story in the local paper. It's an election year, though I don't know if it's a school board election year. You could run for school board on issues like this. Michael Moore got his start in politics by running for school board.

OK, I will see if she can just use our iPad.

curious2 says

I would want to follow the money, does the middleman have ties to school board members, e.g. "donating" to school board elections, etc.

Yes, you have to wonder if someone was paid to select the iPad.

And I bet you're right, the insurance policy of $42 for a year of iPad use seems unreasonably high. It's probably almost all profit going into someone's pocket.

And I bet you're right, the insurance policy of $42 for a year of iPad use seems unreasonably high. It's probably almost all profit going into someone's pocket.

It is. I'm aware of these companies. I work in the Ed Tech field. These companies bulk order mass quantities of hardware paying a fraction of the retail cost per device, loan them at minimal costs to schools to "help them modernize", then tell the school they're responsible for any damage but they can just pay X/year for coverage - and pass the costs to parents.

If 50% of the parents go along with it, they make money.

Another interesting scam is Bonds for Charter Schools. They charge 6-9% interest when Muni Bonds in the same district are paying like 3%. Naturally there is a pant load of fees, which go straight into the Financier's pockets as well. Also, they write the bond so that if the Charter School Fails, the city/county/school district is responsible for the repayment.

Since these financiers are often dealing with non-financial professionals on the school board, it's an easy sell.

curious2 says

I still think it would be better to have the kids build an Android or Linux device

Better yet, we should train the kids to solder small joints. It will prepare them for the jobs the Chinese don't want once their economy takes off. And their perfect for these jobs with their little fingers. This would be the best thing our schools could do to prepare them for the real new economy.

iPads at school sounds good. Education should not be exclusive to it. Programs should be accross other platforms and have a choice on the iPad for take home use. I like the thinking behind it.

The superintendent is not answering my emails.

Show up at her office or at a public meeting?

P.S. @Patrick, the required education apps may be available for download from iTunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/genre/ios-education/id6017?mt=8

Just clicking at random, all the ones I saw were free.

Dan8267 says

we should train the kids to solder small joints. It will prepare them for the jobs the Chinese don't want once their economy takes off.

Soldering will be done by robots, but teaching robot repair would be a good idea. Of course, there are already much more lucrative opportunities in selling robot insurance:

SNL Old Glory Robot Insurance

Also scrubbing the floors of Mitt Romney's many houses. A Roomba might do a better job, but Mitt'll hire your kids because he likes being able to fire people. Nothing gets Combat Hairstylist Romney off like the expression of terror in a crying child's face.

New Renter says

The superintendent is not answering my emails.

Show up at her office or at a public meeting?

Good idea. The superintendant for Menlo Park schools is a man though. Maurice Ghysels: mghysels@mpcsd.org

I'll find his office and try to visit right now.

I actually did get to talk to the superintendant, and it was a friendly enough conversation.

He said that the iPads were expensive and it would be a burden on the school to be responsible for even accidental damage to them. I replied that he nonetheless may not legally push that cost onto parents.

He said he'd have the school district's lawyer look into it, and I went to my daughter's school and took personal responsibility for the iPad for one week while the lawyer looks into it.

In the meantime, the governor may sign AB 1575, which would give me a formal channel to dispute illegal charges for public schools.

Also, the ACLU said they might call me back about my request to be added to their case.

There are a lot of educational apps for the iPad. My three year old loves to learn and now knows all his abc's, numbers, colors, and shapes. Next comes reading. He might have that down by four at this rate. My kids love the iPad, and I've sort of written it off as a kid toy. I got a Griffin case for it so it's damn near indestructible, and trained them to plug it in when not using it. Definitely it's a win in the toy department, with potential to provide lots of learning for kids ready for that.

i know that you, and probably most of the parents in that area can readily afford the fee and that the cost is NOT the point.

but...it should be. what if there was some unfortunate student in that school that was in the same situation as your daughter? marginalized, and falling grades due to no access to the required equipment? isn't that a discriminatory issue?

if they want the devices and all of the benefits of using them, the school board should have budgeted for the insurance themselves.

as for the comment someone made about 'paying for other people's kids', i believe there's enough justification for it under public health and public safety concerns. what is the alternative? allow them to run wild, become beggers and never be able to find any employment except as ditch-diggers? some will undoubtedly do this anyway due to natural inclination, but the smarter, more enterprising ones will simply find illegal means to obtain the same 'stuff'. generally, by stealing yours.