Printed textbooks so yesterday?

I volunteered the other day, at our neighborhood school and was amazed at just how “high-tech” elementary schools have become. For example, you can’t even just walk up and say, “I’m here…I’d like to volunteer.” I don’t think so….A full background and criminal check has to be done and you have to electronically register as a volunteer. In other words, you have to be approved. I like this. This is good thing, when you consider all the pedophiles and would be criminals who lurk around school playgrounds waiting for the opportunity to snatch someone’s pride and joy.
Ok, one of the big changes in America’s classrooms is “The Pledge of Allegiance”. As a child, I can recall one thing that was certain…The Pledge of Allegiance. After the “beginning bell” rung, the teacher would pick someone to lead the class in confirming the pledge. This was an honor for most kids. The entire class would stand, face the American flag, place your right hand over your heart and recite the words:

“I pledge Allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible,
with Liberty and Justice for all.”


Well, now most classrooms in my city, are equipped with television sets. Only for educational purposes, might I add. Many schools have their own news cast (which students operate) After the “beginning bell” of the day, the teachers turn on the TV, the news cast gives the morning announcements for the school. The entire school is silent as they watch their fellow students inform them of the projects, activities and agenda for the school. This will last maybe five minutes or so. At the close of the broadcast, the cast asks the entire school to stand and collectively recite the pledge of allegiance. It’s really an awesome thing to witness. My daughter was chosen as broadcaster and it has really sparked an interest of media in her. She says she wants to go into communication or be a broadcast journalist.

In the state that gave the world Facebook, Google and the iPod, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says forcing California's students to rely on printed textbooks is so yesterday" according to USA today. So, you’ve guessed it folks. Yes, ebooks, and online texts are coming to a school near you.

Not to mention, school lunch for most little tikes has gone already cyber? Once upon a time, when I was a child your mother either packed your lunch in a brown paper bag. On the days that Mommy did not want to pack our lunch she would give us 40cents in an envelope to give to our teacher. Our teacher would forward the money to the cafeteria worker who was in charge of lunch accounts. The 40 cents would cover the entire lunch which most of the time included: a meat, vegetable, fruit, milk, bread and cheese.


Now days, children have online lunch accounts…the parents may deposit the lunch
money for the child up to one day or the entire year via online. A perk to this is the parents have 24hour access to their child’s account so when the funds are low…well, you know it’s time to deposit that lunch money! The kids all know their individual account numbers so very rarely is any currency passed. Oh, and please don’t forget that there is also an a la carte menu for the “picky”. But, please don’t think that there is no standard in all of this.

notes: Meals served under the National School Lunch Program must, by federal law, meet nutrition guidelines based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. No more than 30% of calories can come from fat and less than 10% from saturated fat. School lunches provide one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium and calories.

In North Carolina, 96 percent of schools have increased fresh fruit and 86 percent of schools have increased fresh vegetables. There are usually a number of fruit and vegetables selections available each day. These may be canned, frozen, fresh or dried. There is an emphasis on dark green, deep yellow or orange fruits or vegetables, and items that are not fried. More legumes (dried peas and beans) are also being introduced.
http://www.nutritionnc.com/ResourcesForSchools/pdf/schoolMealsPromoKit/FactSheets/themythofschoolmeals.pdf