School District Dropping Macs for More "Appropriate Technology"

by , 10:25 AM EST, December 18th, 2006

Community Unit School District 300 in Illinois is working to remove Mac computers from classrooms in favor of more "appropriate technology." The "appropriate technology," according to The Courier News, includes Microsoft's Windows operating system.

The district's new director of technology, Eric Willard, claims the move will help students because "most people use Microsoft programs in the real world." He has developed a task force to help make a plan to implement the transition.

"We will have a challenging time at the high school level taking away the Macs," he commented. "For some reason, people have heard about this, and some are very passionate about Macintosh computers."

Mr. Willard's Mac-free schools will also use open source software from Lenox Softworks. The combination of Windows plus open source software, he said, will prevent students from downloading music and movies to the computers.

Some Macs will be allowed to stay in elementary and middle schools in concentrated areas, but it looks like high schools will have to do without.

The decision, however, may be at odds with voter's wishes. A referendum passed in March to add new Macs in schools. But eventually the new computers will be phased out. Mr. Willard commented "We just bought Macs; we can't throw them out. We can't just change everything over tomorrow. It will probably be a three- to five-year process."