Parents Question Salisbury School Board About Technology Plan

Two parents questioned the Salisbury School Board at the August 17 meeting about the new technology plan called which involves students in grades six through 12 receiving district-owned Apple laptop computers.

“I felt ambushed when I received the letter [about theTL2014 plan],” said Salisbury parent Liz Kuhns.

She told the board that she is very concerned about costs to parents.

According to the district’s website, all parents are required to pay $65 to insure each child’s laptop. There is a $50 deductible for a repair (or less if the cost of the repair is less) and a $250 deductible for theft or loss of the laptop. The website also notes that students who do not pay the fee are not allowed to remove a laptop from school property. Families who are on the Free and Reduce Lunch Plan are not required to pay the initial $65, but will have to pay the $50 or $250 deductible if something happens to their child’s laptop.

“Some parents are upset and disturbed because they feel they didn’t have a choice,” Kuhns said

Kuhns added she doesn’t understand why students in sixth grade need laptops and feels the laptops, since they are expensive, could pose a threat to students’ safety because others might try to steal them.

Another mother echoed Kuhns’ statements saying that the costs of insurance and student safety are big concerns.

Superintendent Robert Gross III addressed both women’s concerns, emphasizing that he believes

Gross told the parents that for students who do not pay the $65, the schools will do the best they can for those students to have digital access.

In terms of theft and student safety, Gross said the Salisbury Township Police Department has been notified about the district’s decision to provide laptops to the students. In addition, he said each laptop can be tracked.

“If a laptop is missing or stolen], we will move heaven and earth to recover it,” Gross said.

He said the district will work with families if a student's laptop is damaged or stolen, but added the district also needs to protect all taxpayers.

“This board needs to be fair with both sides,” he said, referring to taxpayers who have students in school and those who do not.

Laptop distributions and orientations for Salisbury High School will be held August 29 and 30.  Laptop distributions for Salisbury Middle School will be held August 31, September 1 and 6.