My husband, Rich Coyle, and I (Sherilyn Peterson), have read your recent emails opposing the Lakeside Laptop Program. We strongly disagree with your position, and are very much in support of the Lakeside program. Feel free to post this email on your website.

We have a daughter in the 7th grade, the testing ground for the program. She is an avid, and extremely responsible user. I see what she does with the computer. It enhances her skills, it does not replace other learning. She was composing music on it this week, which she then played on the piano. She uses it to communicate to students and teachers, do word processing and terrific presentations. She feels the program is tremendous, and knows of very few students who feel otherwise.

I am not at all in favor of spending huge amounts of time on computers. I am rather a computer dinosaur myself. I yank my 9 year old off computer games frequently. But what I see my daughter doing with the computer for school does NOT replace verbal and other skills she needs to learn. I wish I was as computer literate as she. I don't think it is an either/or situation. Kids can learn with computers as tremendous aids without being gobbled by them. I think Lakeside is right to integrate computers with learning. Kids need to learn how to use computers responsibly. Most of the griping I hear at parent meetings about computers, internet use, etc, is less about computers, and really more about parents who don't know how to say no to, or place limits on, their kids.

I trust the school administration to make good decisions for our students. I would not be sending my daughter to Lakeside if I did not trust that the school administration to review the curriculum and make good choices. I do not think we should be second guessing this decision. I don't think more "process" is needed here. The school HAS studied it -- they have tried it out in the 7th grade where it is working fine. Also, kids can't go to many colleges these days without purchasing computers. Colleges rely on them a lot, and I think we are better preparing our kids for that with Lakeside's program. When our daughter was at Epiphany School's sixth grade, laptops were not mandatory but were strongly encouraged. We bought her a used one, and most kids in the class either had one, borrowed one, or used spares from the school. She was thrilled to enter the Lakeside 7th grade laptop pilot program. Our experience at Epiphany with computers last year was similar (though less sophisticated and supported) to our experience at Lakeside this year. The widespread use and availability of the computer has significantly enhanced our daughter's work. She still reads real books, writes with a pen, and energies in athletic and other noncomputer activities. The computer is just another tool, a very good tool that allows her to do a lot more things, and to do most things faster. I also like that she has become so at ease with computers and the internet (which I am not) because you cannot escape the prevalence of computers in life now and into the future.

I encourage you to post the Sunday (I think it was) Seattle Times article on laptops in area schools (that mentioned your name). I noticed that we are not alone among school adopt a computer program. Several other schools were featured in that article.

Finally, I will add my two cents on perspective. I think this is being blown far out of proportion. Nothing is perfect or will please everyone. But, websites, more and more meetings, requests to scrap a decision and start the "process" over again........aren't there more important things to do?

I do hope that your mission does not affect the Lakeside Program, and my daughter's education.

Sherilyn Peterson

Sherilyn Peterson
Perkins Coie LLP
email: petes@perkinscoie.com
phone: 425-453-6980