I haven't decided what I think of the one laptop per child initiative, which premiered their 100 dollar laptop yesterday at the UN net summit in Tunisia. On some level, it seems a very lofty goal - bridge the digital divide in one fell swoop, by giving millions of laptops away. But do I think it will work? I don't know. I'm concerned by the idea that we might simply be sending millions of boxes that will end up in landfills in a few months or years, and that the whole thing will serve no purpose. But that remains to be tested.

What do you think of the Kalamazoo Promise? have you heard about the group of anonymous donors who will be paying for students' full ride scholarships to any michigan university if they're in the district all twelve years (proportionately less for those who spend less time in the district)? They're already getting people registering kids from Montana...If there's problems to have, these are the kinds of problems you want, I suppose! - ryaN

Honestly, the state of public education, particularly for the poor, is in such an appalling state that these children don't need laptops, they need decent teachers, less crowded classrooms, up to date textbooks, and education support all the way through college. One laptop doesn't do a whole lot to help the kids who have to walk through metal detectors to get into school and sit in classrooms that are packed with 44 students. IMO that money could be much better spent improving education through real changes (and by real I mean not No Child Left Behind) than giving kids a bunch of electronics that are bound to be dropped and broken. I think they're putting the cart before the horse here giving students laptops who don't even have a decent breakfast to eat so they can concentrate in class. *sigh* I'm such a bleeding heart liberal. Sorry for the novel-length comment. --Shelby

I read the FAQ's on this thing, and honestly, the idea is good - but again - here we are tyring tosave the world, and not paying any attention to our own domestic issues. I think its great that someone @ MIT wants to develop a lap top so a kid in Tunesia or sub saharian africa can learn - but at the same time, don't we have just as many problems here. I guess the one thing different is this is an NGO an tax $$ are not going to fund this, they are looking for private dontations. I agree with Shelby, we need good book, decent teachers and safer classrooms first. I wish I could say I know this from personal experience, but I was lucky to have gone to Private School all my life - but I look @ how thigs are here in Atlanta, and its just terrible. Ok..off my part of the soap box, time to go home!

BTW that was from me - Sarah

I don't know if you had noticed, but Jason has quite a lengthy entry on his blog on this topic, too.