Video Response

I initially thought that this movie was obsolete but had some good goals/points driving it. There's really only two things I want to comment on about this story: computers/technology will not make a failing education system better and that yes, a technological divide does exist but so what?

As someone who is living in this country, i do care about the general welfare of the population as a whole and hence, feel that school systems could and should be improved. However, computers will not do that and the movie proved this. Take Travis for example; his entire story centered around that he "felt" that he was more comfortable with computers than his friends. Now that didn't say much for Travis or his friends and the fact that he couldn't transfer his computer "skills" into a job any better than the other kids meant that him "feeling" comfortable with computers meant nothing. I remember reading an article about this country's education system with regards to funding. They took an inner city kansas school and trippled their operational budget for a peroid of several years. Their results: the same low test scores and high drop out rates. This craze over computer is just another extention of that concept: no amount of goods are going to make kids smarter or school better. It takes people and a willingness to work for one's goals.

Luisa and Travis both came from disadvantaged backgrounds; were introduced to computers and still came up with the same unfortunate endings. Cedra came from a high socioeconmic status, probably a supportive family, had computers and ended up in a good college; no suprise there. To be honest, the only success story that this movie produced was Kep, and I didn't so much feel that it was computers that made it possible for him but rather his willingness to work hard and his supportive family.

A technological divide exists (that i'm not contesting) but its mostly of socioeconomical status and education level rather than race. The library study that we read about new york libraries indicated that the most consistant predictor of library use was not RACE but EDUCATION. It just so happens that the lower socioeconmic status people are primarily black and latino. And as such, I don't think it is so much as "racial Ravine" as much as an idiot-proof line where people - who would rather spend 100's of dollars on shoes and "bling" and then complain about not having opportunities - fall short.

America is regarded as a land of opportunities and despite what one might hear today, it is still true. If it was easy getting rich and succeeding (legally) then everyone would be rich. No its not easy to succeed in America but honestly, i would much rather be pulling myself up the rungs of society in America than in ANY other country. Those that fail and dont succeed like travis and luisa should be thankful that their life expectancy and income is still going to be higher than a HUGE percent of the world.