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Winona should be proud of the program, the students and the schools. As the Daily News reported, the legislators were indeed impressed.
The experience was a great one for the students, and it gave Durand the chance to make a very important point: He urged legislators to include technology funding in any education bill.
Because of a sizable, almost breathtaking deficit, the Legislature is in a cut-and-slash mode, looking to trim any excess pennies and dollars from the state budget.
But, we hope a few paused for a moment on Durand’s point.
Include technology as a part of any education bill.
As it stands right now, school districts are on their own for technology — such as computers and other hardware. Or, if the Legislature wants to fund technology, it is usually as a separate bill.
Yet we’re years removed from the time when technology was a luxury, a toy or a novelty. It’s now a necessity.
If we expect our students to compete in the “real world” we must give them technology that closely approximates the type in that same real world — not the technology of yesteryear, or, in the case of some our schools, yester-decade.
If the state truly wants to fund education, it must start funding for technology. It’s no longer an option. And technology won’t wait until the financial outlook for the state improves. Technology simply must be a priority.
Computers, software, the Internet, digital cameras should be considered as much a part of the classroom as the chalkboard and apple sitting on the teacher’s desk.
Durand’s point also has a lot of value as we ask schools to continue to do more with less, reach more students and make sure none of them are left behind academically. Computers and technology aren’t simply passive devices, but can be used to help teachers be more efficient and spot problems and trends earlier.
We support Durand’s idea. Moreover, we urge our legislators — especially Rep. Gene Pelowski, who knows about the inadequate technology at the senior high, as well as former school board member and current state Sen. Sharon Erickson Ropes to consider the good message of Durand: Technology is inseparable from education, so why is funding separate from funding bills?
The Winona Daily News editorial board also includes publisher Rusty Cunningham and online editor Jerome Christenson. To comment, call (507) 453-3507 or send e-mail to letters@ winonadailynews.com.
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