The document is a collection of quotes from various sources over 170 years that express skepticism about students' dependence on and use of new technologies in education. The quotes range from concerns in the early 1800s about students' reliance on slates and paper instead of using bark to do calculations, to worries in the 1990s-2000s about the use of graphing calculators, the internet, laptops, wireless networks, and cell phones and electronic devices in classrooms. The final line suggests considering what may have happened if educators had listened to and embraced these new technologies earlier.

1. What If . . .

2. Students today can’t prepare bark to calculate their problems. They depend on their slates which are more expensive. What will they do when the slate is dropped and it breaks? They will be unable to write!

3. Teacher’s Conference 1703

4. Students today depend on paper too much. They don’t know how to write on a slate without getting chalk dust all over themselves. They can’t clean a slate properly. What will they do when they run out of paper?

5. Principal’s Association 1815

6. Students today depend too much upon ink. They don’t know how to use a pen knife to sharpen a pencil. Pen and ink will never replace the pencil.

7. National Association of Teachers 1907

8. Students today depend upon store bought ink. They don’t know how to make their own. When they run out of ink they will be unable to write words or ciphers until their next trip to the settlement. This is a sad commentary on modern education.

9. The Rural American Teacher 1928

10. Students today depend on these expensive fountain pens. They can no longer write with a straight pen and nib. We parents must not allow them to wallow in such luxury to the detriment of learning how to cope in the real business world which is not so extravagant.

11. PTA Gazette 1941

12. Ballpoint pens will be the ruin of education in our country. Students use these devices and then throw them away. The American values of thrift and frugality are being discarded. Business and banks will never allow such expensive luxuries.

13. Federal Teachers 1950

14. You can’t use those calculators on the test. If I let you do that, you wouldn’t ever learn how to use the tables in the back of the book and use interpolation to figure out your trig ratios.

15. High School Math Teacher 1980

16. We can’t let them use calculators in middle school. If we do, they’ll forget how to do long division or how to multiply three digit numbers by three digit numbers. What will they do when they don’t have access to a calculator?

17. Middle School Math Teacher 1989

18. Why are you writing a grant for a classroom set of graphing calculators? We’ll never be allowed to use them and – even if we can – that’s only one class, and parents in other classes will never buy them for their students.

19. High School Math Teacher 1993

20. Why would you ever want the Internet for student use? It’s just the latest fad – have them use the library.

21. District Employee 1995

22. You don’t need a web page [for AHS]. Who’s ever going to look at it?

23. District Employee 1995

24. Teachers will never use email.

25. Teacher on a District Committee 1996

26. Why do you want network drops at every teacher’s desk? You’re not thinking of getting a computer for all of them are you?

27. Building Administrator 1999

28. What can you do with an LCD Projector that you can’t do with an overhead projector?

29. Member of School Accountability Committee 1999

30. Why are we talking about students having laptops in high school? I don’t think most parents will even give their kids their old computer, much less buy them a new one.

31. Member of Laptop Committee 2000

32. Why would I want to put my grades on the web? Who’s going to look at them?

33. Teacher 2001

34. I don’t think we’ll have a wireless network at AHS anytime soon.

35. Me Spring 2005

36. Turn off and put away all Cell Phones, iPods, and Electronic Devices during class!

37. Signs around AHS Fall 2006

38. What If . . . We’d listened?