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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Cronin: ‘We’ve Devalued Teachers’

Update: The House has passed SB 1184 on a 44-26 vote. Now, it's adjourning until Monday. (George Eskridge, R-Dover, was only North Idaho legislator to oppose. How they voted.)

Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, debating against SB 1184 in the House, said stakeholders' concerns weren't addressed, and that's why they don't support the bill. Rather than back away from providing a laptop computer to every high school student, Cronin said, “We're now spending $2.3 million more” on buying laptops than in the previous version of the controversial bill. He said, “Here's what I know: That young people today, they are in no way challenged in the workplace due to a lack of familiarity and experience with technology.” Technology is practically “in their DNA,” he said. But young people need  analytical, interpersonal and problem-solving skills, he said, which they can't learn from computers/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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