This year Cleveland High School has made many changes. One of them is to cut off the internet for all personal devices. Yes, that's right. The Wi-Fi is being cut off. Once August ends, teachers and students will only be able to use the computers that CHS provides. That means no cellphones, no tablets, and no computers. So students will no longer have the choice of using their own personal computer to do school work or much of anything else. But, they are giving students a choice. Either use the old, germ-infested laptops from three to four years ago or rent a chrome book for twenty-five dollars. Not really a great choice is it? A simpler option would let students use their laptops. It helps them to be more organized, remember certain websites, save their work easier, etc. And let's not forget, many students bought their laptops prior to this change. So parents spent hundreds of dollars for their child to have a nice laptop to use at school, just to find out that their purchase was for nothing. So I say we take a stand because it isn't fair to make students use certain computers when they already own one. I for one, want a change. But in order to get one, we have to stand up.

Many CHS parents purchased a laptop for their student to use for school. That way they can use it to do their work at school and use it for games and video streaming at home. And when these parents bought their children laptops, they were under the impression that their children could use them. Sadly, they were wrong. Since the Wi-Fi for personal devices is being cut off, there aren't many ways to use their newly bought laptop at school. So that means parents have basically thrown money down the drain. Not many parents like to do that, so we can see that there is a problem. And not only did they waste their money, but they are being asked to rent a laptop for twenty-five dollars instead.

CHS has started a new program where you can rent a laptop to take home and use at school. Which is great for those students who don't have one. But for those who do, they are forced to spend money on a computer they do not need. Thus, wasting the school's money, and taking a laptop from a student who truly needs it. Think about it, the school is buying all these laptops for students to use, but some don't need one. So there isn't really any use in making students rent another laptop inplace of their personal one. Yet, we are still being pursued  to buy one. And all of those unwanted laptops add up. And the only other choice other than spending more money for  a computer students don't want, is to use the disease-carrying laptops in the classrooms.

Most every classroom has a cart of blue laptops that students have been using for the past three to four years. Unlike the chrome books to rent, these have to stay at the school at all times. And that's fine, but imagine all of the students who touch these laptops each day. All the germs and filth it collects is enough to make a student not want to use it. Not to mention, most of them are broken. Many of these laptops are missing keyboard pieces or have cracks in their screens. They are also extremely slow and usually need a reboot every five seconds. And most class periods, students spend time waiting for the I.T guy to fix the computers so we can start learning. And he tries his best, but the computers are just not what they used to be. So, the logical reason for a student is: bring a laptop and deal with fewer problems. But now, they don't even have that option.

Now, I know we can't use our own laptops for everything. Such as state testing, certain tests in Dual Enrollment classes and many other things. But, in the high tech world we live in today, most people feel more comfortable using their own devices whenever they can. And trying to help those students who don't have laptops is a great priority, but that shouldn't be the only one. All laptops should be able to use the Wi-Fi so everyone can get their work done effectively and in the manner they prefer. So, if you own a laptop and you want to be able to use it at school too, then sign this petition. This way we can find a peaceful and easy way to solve this matter. Because we shouldn't have to be forced to use a certain type of laptop when we have a perfeclty working one at home.