Kids get wireless internet on their school bus
Do you think having Wi-Fi enabled school buses is taking it too far? Some people in Arizona don’t think so.
Wi-Fi Turns Rowdy Bus Into Rolling Study Hall. So reads an article in the New York Times. According to the article, the kids have been much less boisterous since a wireless router was installed on the bus. “Boys aren’t hitting each other, girls are busy, and there’s not so much jumping around.” the bus driver is quoted as saying.
The NYT article states that the kids are putting the wireless access to good use: “On this morning, John O’Connell, a junior at Empire High School here, is pecking feverishly at his MacBook, touching up an essay on World War I for his American history class. Across the aisle, 16-year-old Jennifer Renner e-mails her friend Patrick to meet her at the bus park in half an hour. Kyle Letarte, a sophomore, peers at his screen, awaiting acknowledgment from a teacher that he has just turned in his biology homework, electronically.” And, of course, I’m sure that the kids use the time to play online games and visit Facebook and other social networking sites too.
So, is providing kids with wireless internet access on school buses a good thing? Does it simply make their commutes more enjoyable and productive? Or is it enabling them to spend more time engrossed in their laptops, iThings and PSPs at the expense of good old real, face-to-face social interaction?
What do you think? Would you like your kids to ride to school in almost complete silence on a high tech internet-enabled bus? Or would you prefer that they spend the time chatting, playing slaps, punching each other and whatever else it is that kids do when they aren’t armed with latest piece of electronic weaponry?
As a student: This is overboard, we spend many hours on the computer as is at home. School is a time for real socialization but I geuss this is why society and the human race will fail. Many songs talk about this issue including 2112 and Mr. Robato. What does my opinion count for? ,nothing but you have read it and you might agree or disagree but the truth is dont let yourself get taken over by technology.
With all the horror stories that we’ve heard lately about what goes on on these school buses maybe it’s not such a bad idea.
At what cost to taxpayers?
I agree with the first comment, people do not know how to interact anymore. I think if there is in fact an “antichrist” it is technology.
I don’t understand.Are you saying that people who interact are holy and those that don’t are evil?
On a school bus??? Get real.
What we really need is a Wi-Fi enabled network in the subway system. That’s what we really need.
All parents does not afford the equipment for kids. The electrical games are short life. The business are happy to earn.
As my handle implies,..”oldtimer”…I’m a senior citizen and all these technological advances sometimes cause me to shake my head. BUT, I think the fact that WIFI can be provided to students on their bus is fantastic, and should be provided to students everywhere it’s possible.
whether ppl like it or not, the new tech is coming and has been for a long time now like a tidal wave can’t stop it,and why should we..for all those who complain ppl are kids are not socializing, what do you think they do online,you can reach more ppl online than you can offline..yes the kids spend a lot of time online than we would like to care for but eventually they get off and get back to the st..and if a rare child lives his life online and to obsessive than he needs help,like anything and everything else there is going to be a few ppl that have problems,if it’s not the net it will be something else,so why fight something that is coming at as faster than anything the human race has seen before,for me i welcome new tech with open arms,i can do things now i could only dream of when i was a kid…i have a feeling it’s the oldtimers who cannot work the new tech,a few more generations from now this won’t even be a discussion.
Yes, it’s a good idea. If students can only access one website http://www.wikipedia.org
[...] checking Facebook before climbing out of bed, emailing through breakfast, fiddling with an iThing on the school bus or playing video games after school, kids are constantly engaged with their devices – which [...]
its good one but there should be some limitation have to fix…. then only it will be good