School of the Future

The School of the Future in Philadelphia presents several exciting features while promising a variety of benefits for the students in attendance. However, despite the glamour of a completely electronic school, I am personally uninterested in such a school. I believe from this School of the Future will arise unprecedented difficulty due to adverse affects to physical well-being, issues in biodegradability and renewable resources, and grand expenses.

First, the school presents a hazard to physical well-being. Although completely ridding educational facilities of paper-based textbooks and embracing an array of software may seem favorable, I am uncomfortable with having kids sit in front of a computer screen for approximately ten hours every day (approximately five hours of instructional time, two hours for homework/studying, and two hours for miscellaneous personal interests). This causes unnecessary strain to their eyes and brain. Instead, balance should be sought. Individual reading books, dictionaries, and reference books could remain paper-based in order to prevent complete loss of the skills acquired from such resources (i.e. manual alphabetization, scanning through speed reading, etc.). No computer can ever replace the texture and fragrance of a book, old or new.

Second, the school may face adverse affects in the future in terms of biodegradability and being renewable. Most (if not all) computerized devices are produced from fossil fuels and contain programmed obsolescent schemes from their capitalistic creators. Thus, each student (or "learner") will be required to purchase a new laptop every other year, if not annually. Unlike computers, paper can be recycled and naturally reproduced by the earth. Even though trees would be saved by utilizing computers, what will happen when we no longer have fossil fuels to create our precious technological machines?

Last, the school is exceptionally expensive. Should other districts desire to replicate this model, our nationwide debt would continue to enlarge and sooner engulf the country. Even if other schools get the chance to copy the designs of such an alluring model, districts that cannot afford such large expenditures will continue to suffer with slow, outdated systems they currently operate. Such phenomenon leaves the excluded students feeling unimportant or not as treasured as those who are admitted to the exclusive schools of the future.

In conclusion, I believe that the School of the Future in Philadelphia can be doomed due to adverse affects to physical well-being, issues in biodegradability and renewable resources, and grand expenses. If we were to erect schools of the future throughout the United States, I believe it would prove to be disastrous, at least during this present time. Are schools of the future earth friendly? Is having exclusivity in such a school beneficial to all students across the country? Will building such schools solve problems of laziness, high drop out rates, and decreasing graduation rates? With much ardency I declare, "No."