posted in Technology

Kansas Schools Now Collect Phones at the Door – Spends $180K On Smartphone Lockers

At least one Kansas district is projecting $150,000 to $180,000 just to equip secondary students with individual phone lockers, according to the Wichita Eagle. The state provided zero dedicated funding. Every dollar comes from local budgets.

Districts choosing fabric locking pouches — think Yondr, the magnetic-lock system concert venues use to keep audiences present — face an estimated $30 per unit. Statewide, the Kansas Division of the Budget put that figure at roughly $13.4 million if every student received one, according to the Lawrence KS Times. Lockers require a steeper upfront investment. Neither option came with a state check attached.

Legislators passed the policy. The price tag was someone else’s problem.

www.gadgetreview.com/kansas-schools-now-collect-phones-at-the-door-spends-180k-on-smartphone-lockers

Replying to @⁨FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world⁩

I mean I’ve seen a lot more money wasted on much dumber shit.

Kids aren’t going to learn if they’ve got handheld social media internet gaming consoles with them in school. I wouldn’t have. They’re not going to willingly put them away for hours every day. I wouldn’t have. So…lock the fuckers up. These kids need to be educated so I’m not being taken care of by drooling Idiocracy background actors when I’m in end-of-life care. There’s way too much stupid going around already.

To be clear, 180k is too much. I’m just saying I agree with locking the goddamn things up.

Replying to an earlier post

Why is 180k too much? I expect the school to be spending the money to buy something of quality that will last for a few years, and they likely have several thousand students. At $100 for each this would cover 1800 students. Even the $30 pouches mentioned only covers 6000 students - I would expect they have spares in each school.

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