On: Kids should be building rockets and robots, not ta...

[smacktoward]

In fairness, this is an article from Slate, aka "News For Nervous Upper-Class White People". So it shouldn't shock you that they might not stop to consider how offensive "have the kids build robots!" might be to an educator in a school system that can't even afford to maintain reasonable class sizes, much less a robotics lab.

[richcollins → smacktoward]

Robotics labs aren't expensive: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dap...

[smacktoward → richcollins]

I'm not sure you realize just how strapped for cash most school districts are. The average K-12 teacher in the US spends around $350 out of their own pocket each year just to buy supplies like books, pencils and glue that schools and parents can't or won't pay for. Only 8% of teachers can get through a year without spending any of their own money on supplies. (http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/07/08/teachers-spend-1.3..., http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/08/most_teachers_spend_...)

If school districts can't afford to buy pencils, it's unlikely they can afford to buy robots, no matter how cheap the robots are.

[anamax → smacktoward]

> I'm not sure you realize just how strapped for cash most school districts are.

They're actually not that cash-strapped. They just don't choose to spend money on education.

It's unclear how giving them more money will change that.

Seriously - take the spending per-pupil year and multiply it by the number of kids in a class room. Subtract the teacher's salary and benefits. Subtract the cost of the room and educational facilities (like the library). Heck - subtract the cost of the playground.

Now, ask yourself where the rest of the money went.