To refuse to sign form for DD to have a school iPad?

My child is ridiculously accident prone. She has an executive processing disorder and dyspraxia. She breaks things constantly. The school cases are tanks. The abuse she puts her school laptop through is epic and it is in perfect condition 3 years in. If they are not tanks, then you need to complain loudly.

we have much stricter rules for her personal devices, but we can’t really control her school computer.

We refused to sign, I pointed out in the meeting that by the time they were “ours” (we had to purchase them on a school plan) they would be obsolete. It’s shit and these iPads have caused more problems at our school than they have solved.
but I guess it’s nice that the teachers can say “go to x on YouTube and watch the video” whilst they do marking or something. That was sarcasm. They’re shit

Depends on the child.
One of mine, I'd have no problem with them looking after something like that, the other wouldn't be able to. It isn't my parenting (they are both the dc of the same 2 parents), it is the fact one has ADHD and the other doesn't.

YANBU @user63214 - I wouldn't sign it either.

I mean, I'm not a fan of homework for 8 yr olds anyway (as a parent or a teacher), but if the school wants to give out homework, it shouldn't involve having to have access to an iPad.

Some people are just more accident prone than others though and one way to manage a child’s ( or adult ) difficulties is to not let them near expensive stuff

On a number of occasions DD dropped it accidentally, forgot where is was or to charge it.

Do you normally accept that your DC are careless with valuable equipment? Sounds like your DD needs to be taught to be more careful & responsible. It's not beyond the capacity of an 8 year old to learn that an iPad should not be dropped, kept in a regular place (does she have a desk in her bedroom?) and needs to be charged.

If they don't have one at home to use they are not going to be able to afford to replace a damaged school one either.

My DD’s school doesn’t have textbooks anymore. The books are online and accessed via the tablets or laptops issued by the school. Instead of buying and managing physical books, the schools buy a license for the textbooks.

they do still have physical library books. Older students often choose ebook options instead.

All of this!

YANBU. My DC (same age at the time) dropped my DH’s brand new iPad - just a simple accident - and broke the screen. It was a very expensive mistake. It’s not about being old enough to be responsible, it’s that even to adults these things can happen.

I’m also not keen on children of that age moving to devices.

At least your school covers the cost here in Australia you have to pay for one yourself and no you can't use a cheap one they don't work on the school network

This is BS. The curriculum doesn’t have to be taught online. It’s in books and always has been.

Whaaat?

An 8 year old doesn't NEED to do homework online. What a load of old bollocks.

Can kids learn to read and write and do maths/science stuff without the Internet?
Maybe read a book.

Utterly nonsensical. I'm with the OP on this one.

No. This is a scheme whereby Apple get young kids folded into the apple ecosystem in order to profit from them for life. Ask the school who have gone for this why they think Apple are doing it: are they kind benefactors? Remind them that the kids of big tech execs dont get access to tech, typically. Farming our kids for profit. Nope.

Im disappointed our teachers dont have the critical thinking to see through this.

I completely agree. All of the evidence suggests this is bad for developing brains. Our school recently moved all homework online and we have refused to do it. Our kids have CGP books instead. Lots of other parents have also refused to do it.

I recommend having a look at safescreens.org

My 14 year old got his wet as he was using it while washing his hands. A very expensive mistake…
No I wouldn’t sign responsibility for an 8 year old to transport . Recipe for disaster.

The tech companies are pushing Ed Tech on to governments/counciks/ schools and they are blindly following it without any evidence it’s any good for learning/children (clue - it’s not). Tech companies get all the money, plus customers for life (our kids, stuck on screens).

Yep, in primary I’d be wanting to take this approach. We do the absolute minimum of tech based homework, only a small amount of My Maths, which isn’t gamified like some of the others. The rest we do paper based alternatives. Over my dead body would they give mine their own device at 8.

Yanbu, I wouldn't sign either, both because I wouldn't want financial responsibility for accidents, and because I wouldn't want my child doing homework on a screen (or work at school much either)

When this happens at my kids! school, all the parents refused as nobody wanted their young children having their own tablet and did not want the school taking this decision out of their hands. The school backed down and all homework was done in the conventional way. Children don’t need an iPad for homework, they really don’t.

The cases my DD’s schools are insanely sturdy. The devices are also essential. If you deny your child access, they are going to have problems accessing the curriculum at some schools.

it does not always work to use another device. Some of the licensing is restricted to the school devices.

Why are someschools pushing everything on tech. I understand the need for chikdren to learn about it and use it but surely they should still be developing physical writing skills at that age. We are going to have a generation that canst put pen to paper and only type on a keyboard with their finger

Nevermind the increase in eye problems due to over use of screens. I wouldn’t be signing it either.

Yes because absolutely every family in the country has a "family computer" 🙄

My son was given a Chromebook when he started year seven in 2016, but they were all insured under the agreement between the school and the provider.

I certainly wouldn't have signed anything that made me financially responsible for loss or breakage. As for the poster who said they were expected to contribute if there were technical difficulties, I have no words! What an incredibly unreasonable expectation on the school's part.

In your position I would definitely refuse to sign. You won't be the only one.

I wouldn’t and I’d let them know why. I imagine you won’t be the only one.

I'd refuse them to have an iPad because it's not the schools decision whether my kid uses a screen at home. Homework at 8yo is ridiculous anyway, making it mandatory on screens is an overreach.