[QUOTE]Originally posted by 12dn94dst:
Those inner-city schools that are lucky to have computers have antiquated equipment or the equipiment is stolen or vandalized or most of it is broken because the schools cannot afford to have a certified technician on staff to repair the machines. It's hard for someone who has trouble keeping food on the table or a roof over the family's head to see the point in sacrificing $800-$1000 for a computer, the benefit of which cannot be seen right away. And community centers that have computers often face an issue of who is going to teach the computer classes (for free) and, like the schools, who's going to repair them when they break.
Soror, my previous chapter ran into a similar problem. We planned on a computer lab for our Delta Academy girls but had to abandon the idea because the public schools only have MacIntosh machines! While we had several computer-proficient sorors in the chapter, none were experienced with the Mac.
While it is nice to have computers in the schools, it is essential that they be at least technologically up-to-date. BTW, not to dis' Mac but MOST people use PCs. I beleive the chapter is now trying to get donated PCs.
My current chapter has a computer lab in our Outreach Center where both Sorors and program participants can learn about computers and have internet access. In fact, I have just been slated to teach our Delta Academy girls how to build webpages.
It really is up to us, the Talented Tenth, to try to bridge that chasm called the Digital Divide. More and more of us need to embark on technological careers so that we can step to the fore and lead.
For those of you who are not aware, the Delta Academy is a National program of DST and is dedicated to exposing young Black females to careers in science, math and technology. You can read more about it on our National website at
http://www.deltasigmatheta.org/delta_academy.htm.
------------------
MCCOYRED
Dynamic
Salient
Temperate
Mu Psi '86
BaltCo Alumnae
[This message has been edited by mccoyred (edited February 05, 2001).]