Computers, Athletes, and the Cost of Doing Homework

Remember in the old days when the school basketball team would get on the bus to go to an out-of-town game, and along with their gear, the players and cheerleaders would bring their bookbags so they could study algebra and read Shakespeare on the way? The only other equipment they needed to study was a dollar notebook, a dime pencil. Ah, the good old days....

Well, in the age of computers, keeping one's grades up takes a lot more capital. Dakota State University announced Friday that its new transportation agreement with Prairie Coach Trailways includes adding wireless Internet service to the buses for athletes and coaches traveling to games. Prairie Coach Trailways evidently already has on-board satellite TV and GPS tracking, so adding wireless Internet probably means just piggybacking another signal through whatever satellite(s) the buses already talk to.

The new system will be a cost-cutter for student-athletes, who until now have had to buy $50- to $70-a-month phone cards to access the Internet through the cellular network
when they hit the road for the greater glory of the DSU Trojans. But consider: for the football team to do homework on the road, we now need several dozen computers ($1336 apiece), a fancy $300 receiver, and a satellite that costs $200-$500 million (your prices may vary; see local dealers for details).

Madison's high school athletes are discovering the high cost of technology integration as well. Once they finish reading the 22-page MHS Tablet Policy Handbook, athletes realize that carrying the new laptops around is a awesome responsibility. Heeding the school district's strong encouragement to not leave the laptops at school, athletes will very likely take their computers with them to out-of-town games, thus increasing the total value of thievable merchandise on any activity bus by tens of thousands of dollars. When the team gets to its out-of-town game sites, students can't leave the computers on the bus, so before they can get suited and psyched up for the big game, the athletes or their coaches have to track down a secure location where the computers can be stored during the contest. It's a lot of hassle, and certainly a distraction from focusing on the big contest, but students know they must protect these precious computers at all costs... especially when Mom and Dad have probably already shelled out $25 for the school's computer insurance policy and, even with the insurance, will face an additional $200 charge for any damage or loss claim filed.

The Madville Times would be utterly hypocritical to suggest, as this article travels electronically to its vast worldwide readership, that computers and the Internet aren't wonderful tools for the expansion of knowledge. We also certainly believe in dedicating more resources to the education of our youth. However, if people wonder why tuition keeps going up, why school budgets are so tight, and why so many families need two or three incomes just to support their kids, they should consider the ever-increasing cost of simply doing one's homework. You can still get a pen for less than a quarter; to replace a Tablet PC stylus, you'll pay MHS $39. We can only hope that we are getting our money's worth.