Subject: September MacWorld follow-up

From: [email-masked] (Peter Miller)
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1992 05:19:24 -0800

Community Computing Folks, 
 
We want to commend Macworld for its unflinching 
treatment of "America's Shame--The Creation of the 
Technological Underclass in America's Public Schools--
How We Abandoned Our Children's Future" in the 
September issue and for giving this the kind of attention 
that is unusual to find on the front cover of a technology 
magazine.
 
We invite you to join in with this letter writing response, 
one which can also give us an opportunity, to paraphrase 
Playing to Win Executive Director Ramon Morales, to 
increase awareness of the issues of the appropriate uses 
of technology to address the need for sweeping 
educational reform, to enhance our collaborative work in 
advocacy for technology access and equity, and to 
develop ties with innovators who are grappling with the 
same issues and desire to reach out and form linkages 
that can strengthen us all.
 
If you'd like to sign onto this letter which will ultimately 
be sent to Macworld, please send your name, 
organizational affiliation, address, phone number and 
email address to:   [email-masked]
We'll send you a list of everyone if you want one. If you'd 
like to write your own letter to Macworld, which we 
heartily encourage, please send us a copy, too. You can 
send letters to Macworld Editor Jerry Borrell to:
[email-masked] (that's macworld#1)
as well as by traditional mail to:  Macworld 
Communications, Editorial Department, 5th Floor, 501 
Second St., San Francisco, CA 94107.
 
Please distribute this letter as widely as possible.
 
An Open Letter to Macworld
-- ---- ------ -- --------
 
We want to commend you for your unflinching treatment 
of "America's Shame--The Creation of the Technological 
Underclass in America's Public Schools--How We 
Abandoned Our Children's Future" in the September issue 
and for giving this the kind of attention that is unusual to 
find on the front cover of a technology magazine.
 
The five articles on this theme are an important 
contribution to both our understanding and to doing 
something about the problem.
 
It is sad and ironic to find that the problem of the 
technological underclass and those who are alienated 
from modern society's basic tools is growing worse while 
computer access itself has become more widespread and 
that, despite a growing equity in hardware distribution 
Jerry Burrell's team findings reveal "a false dependence 
on statistical analysis and a reality so discouraging that it 
made us question how this situation has remained 
unremarked on for so long. Antiquated computers; 
unused computers; computers used for games and not for 
teaching; schools and teachers unprepared to use 
computers that they own; mismanaged or misdirected 
policies; and unknown hundres of millions of dollars 
spent over the last decade for little return." 
 
When we think about it, of course, it makes sense that 
the problem goes well beyond simply having more 
hardware available. Your articles all reinforce each other 
in driving home the basic need:  As Charles Pillers writes 
in his piece on "Separate Realities," "Computer-based 
education in poor schools is in deep trouble... These 
districts lack the training and social support to use 
computers effectively. In most cases, computers simply 
perpetuate a two-tier system of education for rich and 
poor."  In her contribution "Educators Need Support to 
Make Computing Meaningful," Deborah Branscum sums it 
up well with her very title: "it all boils down to 
inadequate or insufficient support, training, research, 
money, and will--or leadership, if you prefer." 
 
Macworld has done a very useful service with this issue 
and we hope you continue to build upon this series and 
publicize more of the experiments, promising programs 
and pilot projects which are attempting to offer 
corrections and alternatives to this frightening situation.
 
Gerri Abrams, Co-Director
Boston Computer Society Education Director
1 Kendall Sq.
Cambridge, MA 02139
617/252-0600
 
Anita Kron Bachrach, Supervisor
Computer Resource Center
United South End Settlements
566 Columbus Ave.
Boston, MA 02118
617/536-8610
[email-masked]
 
Peg Buckman, President
Technology Education Council of Somerville
167 Holland St.
Somerville, MA 02144
625-6600 x6970
 
Bob Grenoble, President
Boston Computer Society
1 Kendall Sq.
Cambridge, MA 02139
617/252-0600
[email-masked]
 
Peter Miller, Director
Somerville Community Computing Center
167 Holland St.
Somerville, MA 02144
617/625-6600 x 6948
Internet: [email-masked]
 
Michael Roberts
Special Assistant to the President
for Education and Technology
Freedom House
14 Crawford
Dorchester, MA 02121
617/445-3700
 
Ken Sargent
Boston Computer Society
Mac Resource Center
1972 Mass Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
617/864-1700
BCS Mac BBS: 617/864-0712
 
Coralee Whitcomb
New England Regional Director,
Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
Public Service Coordinator
Boston Computer Society
1 Kendall Sq.
Cambridge, MA 02139
617/252-0600 x3312

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