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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think the schools relying on computers and the net is a bit off?

68 replies

whiskeylover · 24/09/2011 12:04

ds has just started secondary school. the school relys alot on kids accessing online resources, for looking up work, to being able to access certain work pages etc. at the moment he has a piece of homework that he has been told he has to access online. the teacher has told him that they do not give print outs. issue being at the monent the only comp we have in the house is broken, and we cant afford to get it fixed til next weekend. so he tried to use the comps at school. they are all booked up for the next school week, so he cant access it. the item needs to be downloaded so im not willing to ask a neighbour if he can use their comp to download things as i think it would take the piss. i have informed the school that until he can get secure net access he cant to the work. they have said he will be given a detention if they dont do the work.
i know that computers and a big part of life these days but there must be families that cant afford comp and net access, what happens to those kids?
are schools being U by relying on children having comstant web access?

OP posts:
southeastastra · 24/09/2011 12:06

no they aren't - most people have them now. can't he use them at school? most have homework clubs. or the library (if yours is still open!)

soverylucky · 24/09/2011 12:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

troisgarcons · 24/09/2011 12:09

Not having a PC is a moniker of a 'low income family' (as discussed at work yesterday) and facilities in school, either at break, lunch or after are made available to anyone who wishes to use them.

Original poster
whiskeylover · 24/09/2011 12:10

south
most people do, not all. and as far as i know its not a thing you HAVE to have, its a choice isnt it?

sovery
the school does have computers, bloody tonnes of the things, but they can only use they if the pre book. and the school run computer clubs etc, so they are limited.

OP posts:
SnapesMistress · 24/09/2011 12:13

Inform the school and they will make a computor available. If not then he can't do the work. [shrug]

troisgarcons · 24/09/2011 12:13

Raise the issue with the governors that there are insufficient facilities made available and the knock on is disadvantaging certain children.

Original poster
whiskeylover · 24/09/2011 12:18

snapes, i wrote in and said, at the moment we have no computer, and that he would need to use an inschool one to complete the homework. he then tried to book one and was told that next thurs was the next day with free slots, so he booked it and told his teacher, who said it is due in on weds, and if its not there he will be given detention.
im going to get intouch again mondya, but it just made me wonder what happens if a child had no access at home, it must make things very stressful for the chold to have to worry about it.

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 24/09/2011 12:23

Can't he go to your local library and use a computer there?

Original poster
whiskeylover · 24/09/2011 12:25

our local one wont let an under 16 use it unsupervised, and they limit the acces to 20 mins on a freaking weekend, which is not long enough. grr

OP posts:
troisgarcons · 24/09/2011 12:28

He's clearly not goping to give a detention when the pupil cannot access the work.

Just fire of an email to his form tutor/HOY/HoD explaining the issue.

southeastastra · 24/09/2011 12:32

i suppose so, i just know ds(17) found it invaluable especially for reports etc and when they get to university it's a must isn't it.

what are you using to access mn?

Jamillalliamilli · 24/09/2011 12:34

I do know how you feel as we hit the same problem, but I had to learn that the internet's now considered an educational necessity and deal with it.

We?ve got a dreaded Brighthouse laptop at £7.14 a week and £3.50 a week for the net on a dongle. You learn to save everything on a USB and get it printed either cheap or free.

If you want to give a link to the thing he needs downloading and an address to send it to, I can download, get it printed (b+w) and stick it in the post for you.

Jamillalliamilli · 24/09/2011 12:38

(someone may have to explain how PM bit works to me Blush)

Meglet · 24/09/2011 12:38

yanbu.

We do have a laptop and broadband but not every family does. I went to a maths refresher course last year and I was the only person with internet at home, the other 8 people didn't have it. It really hit home how lucky I was.

I looked round a school last year and one of the children said she found homework hard because their home internet wasn't fast enough.

nickelbabe · 24/09/2011 12:39

sea - probably a mobile. :)

troisgarcons · 24/09/2011 12:43

Internet access is in that 'shopping basket' thing the government uses to gauge 'essentials' to assess the cost of inflation.. RPI? CPI? whatever its called.

Therefore the government considers it 'esssential' (mind you McDonalds is in it too!)

Jamillalliamilli · 24/09/2011 12:47

McDonalds Is an essential? Shock

SamsungAndDelilah · 24/09/2011 12:49

um, aren't you using a computer to post this?

CogitoErgoSometimes · 24/09/2011 12:51

I suppose to point out the irony of you complaining that they can't do homework because you 'don't have a computer' on an internet message board.... is going to be totally lost on you?

YABU

twinklytroll · 24/09/2011 12:52

I set a fair amount of homework which can be accessed online as budget cuts mean that we don't have money for photocopying. It is also better for the enviroment. I do give printouts for the students who need them and would not set a detention if a student came to me in advance to say there was an issue. I am also happy to print for students and we have computers in schools.

Computers are a fact of life now I am afraid.

twinklytroll · 24/09/2011 12:53

I had missed that point cogito

She could be accessing MN on her phone.

xxDebstarxx · 24/09/2011 13:05

Unfortunately schools do rely on the internet and expect everyone to have them. Computers are the way of life now...even most tills in shops are computerised and touch screen.

I hope your son manages to get the work done. If he does get a detention write a letter to the headteacher and the governors to ask for their input.

hocuspontas · 24/09/2011 13:05

Dd3 got into a pickle last year because she needed MS Publisher to be compatible with stuff she was doing in lessons and it was too expensive for us to just go out and buy. The response was to do it all in school. So she was discriminated against to a degree because she had to forego lunchtime clubs for a while and got dropped from some matches because of not turning up for practice.

Also our printer is erratic and sometimes we can't afford to go straight away and just buy a new ink cartridge if it runs out. A lot of work needs to be printed out and even homework sheets you are expected to print out yourself from the school website before filling in. There's no last minute Sunday homework! It has to be planned around library opening times, being able to park, being able to book a slot, library printer working etc etc. Luckily this doesn't happen often!

Feel your annoyance op.

EdithWeston · 24/09/2011 13:19

I share the annoyance.

We're in a computer glitch - won't be straight for a few weeks. I'm on an iPad which doesn't run some if the sites DSes need. Fortunately, they do have enough computers at school. But it does mean they lose lunch breaks, which is a pity.

I think print-offs should be given to all pupils who request them. Especially as those who do not have Internet at all tend to be families who are chaotic in other ways too, and even the best regulated families can have times when connexions fail.

SoupDragon · 24/09/2011 13:28

I am of the opinion that this is the 21st century and, like it or loathe it, computers and the intent are how life is (well, in developed countries, obviously).

There are facilities available to those who need them, such as school or library. What they have to miss at lunchtime they make up for with free time in the evening at home. [shrug] Perhaps tricky if they have lunchtime clubs but it's not going to be every day.