By Laney Figueroa, staff writer
The distribution of over 1000 Chromebooks went quite smoothly, as every Galileo student now has a computer of their own, with the expectation that students will now bring their own laptop to school everyday.
The idea of all students receiving a laptop after members of the SFUSD’s department of technology proposed the idea of distributing a Chromebook to every student. Assistant principal, Mr. Panjabi jumped at the chance to be able to get computers for each student.
“Access to technology is an equity issue. Some students are able to afford their own devices, and some students can’t. By giving each student a Chromebook, it ensures that everyone has access to the same tools for research, learning, and creation,” said Mr. Panjabi.
Chromebooks were passed out on January 17-27 in front of Mr. Panjabi’s office, with the freshmen and sophomores picking their Chromebooks up during P.E., while the juniors and seniors got theirs during their English class.
While the distribution of the Chromebooks went smoothly, not all students agree on the usefulness of having to bring a Chromebook to school everyday. Sophomore Michelle Y. says “I don’t really care about the chromebooks, I just don’t like how heavy it is, but it’s better than using my phone for certain assignments.” Senior Patrick L. added, “As a Senior, I think it’s kind of dumb to pass it this late into the year because in 3 months I have to return it; they should’ve passed it out next year.”
However, teachers seem to overwhelmingly be in favor of giving out Chromebooks to students. think Physics teacher Mr. O says, “I’m old and tired, I can’t be moving those Chromebooks carts between floors. I think it’s a good thing because lots of students don’t have access to computers and technology at home and students won’t have to rely so much on their phones.” Social Studies teacher, Mr. Matawaran, added, “I think it’s good that students have access to technology and could teach responsibilities but it could be an issue for students to bring it everywhere with the risk of possibly losing it.”
A challenge during the distribution was finding a location to recycle all of the cardboard boxes for the Chromebooks and students who didn’t receive a Chromebook during the scheduled distribution days.
Of course, there is a chance that giving each student a device will eventually become a distraction in class, but if used well, Mr. Panjabi says that Chromebooks can be an effective tool to expand learning in new ways and make teaching easier.
