by Andrew Karr

Created on: May 05, 2009   Last Updated: June 27, 2009

Yes they should be allowed. No they shouldn't be needed. Over the past 6 months a new class of laptops have emerged in the marketplace, net books. They are $300 for a single unit and I am sure if you bought hundreds at a time the cost would be substantially lower. Our children today learn how to run computers as soon as they learn how to push a button. It only makes sense to me to move from a stack of ancient paper bound hardback books to a highly portable lightweight upgradable laptop.

Untill then though our children and students move from class to class in minutes. If using a rolling backpack would allow more order between classes why fight it. Humans discovered or invented the wheel a long time ago. Why would anyone deny the most efficient universal tool ever made to students and children who obviously need it.

By allowing students to use a rolling backpack they could reduce the number of trips to their locker and therefore make it to class quicker. Even if the opportunity is only used by some students it is still a wise decision. Some children may be able to reach class a few seconds earlier. By arriving to class as the bell rings students may spend the next few minutes getting organized and settling in to learn. Teachers may also have to wait for a single student to be ready so they can start the class. One student running late to class can take a few seconds away from every student. A few seconds a day for 5 or 6 classes each day for 180 days a year for 4 years of high school could benefit students a substantial amount.

I do not understand anyone who would not want this. Some may believe the roller backpacks could get in the way. I am sure if students start employing rolling back packs they will surely be able to find an easy efficient way to store these bags during class. In the end it may turn out to be less useful for some students, but it should obviously be up to the students and the teachers not a governing board.

So until we throw the books away and adopt a much easier to transport and use net books we must allow children to use whatever they need to move from class to class or even school to home. We are not raising warriors who need to fight to survive. So we shouldn't need to physically train them to hold and carry 40 pound bags. Instead we should encourage them to find the easiest most efficient way to move from class to class. A governing body deciding what style of bag children can use to carry books and school work is the most ridiculous effort I have heard about school boards. I think their time would be better spent developing a format to teach children.

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