School Board Candidates Talk About iPads at Forum

Lexington One school board candidates disagreed Thursday over the use of iPads in classrooms. 

Hazel Porth Duell, one of the 12 candidates, said not all technology is good.

"I feel like we need to teach our children critical thinking," Duell said during a forum at Gilbert High School. "They don't know how to read and write. They use the computer, they use the iPad to do the work for them."

Several candidates said they see children playing games on the iPads more than using them for educational purposes.

Anthony Feraci said if students aren't learning from the iPads, the district should instead let the teachers use the money in the classroom. 

"If we don't plan to use them, then basically we gave our children a $700 notebook," Feraci said. "And I ask children what they do with them all the time and basically that's what they say: play games and take notes." 

Ed Harmon, one of the two incumbents running for re-election, diagrees. He said putting iPads in the classrooms "levels the playing field" for students. 

"Since our demographics are changing, there are many students who would never be able to afford a piece of equipment like that," Harmon said. "It can open up the world to them." 

Two more candidate forums are planned in October: one at Pleasant Hill Middle School and one at Lexington Middle School.

View profiles of the 12 school board candidates.