School Computers

Re “Computers Won’t Fix Schools,” editorial, Dec. 28: Your editorial is right but for the wrong reasons. Computers are not present in the classroom to help students, but so that administrators can point at the number of computers that are present and claim students are learning.

The truth is that computers with the cheapest systems possible are bought for classroom use. All too often they have insufficient RAM and other hardware. Software, if bought at all, is upgraded only grudgingly and, usually, years later.

And training for teachers? Don’t kid yourself. The problems are enormous and difficult, but not impossible to overcome. However, training is not a physical object. You cannot point at it with pride on a tour of visiting teachers and say “Here is our computer lab.” This problem with training will forever restrict it to negligible amounts that the administration claims are sufficient.

JOHN L. PARK

Chino Hills