It is not President Obama's job to modernize our schools nor should the burden fall on Congess.  Schools after the dust bowl disasters were set up to be self governing through a LEA.  But Education wanted to imitate the government by spending way beyond their means and therefore allowed the federal and state governments to infuse districts with monies.  And we all know these monies come with serious strings attached! (Now the budgets of all school districts would not be solvent if you remove said funds)

It is up to each individual districts and their local communities to prioritize their spending just as all families prioiritize their budget.  Why should education be any different?  In my district like many others we find ways to waste millions of dollars on things that just don't matter or make a difference for the students.  We waste money on technology that will be obsolete in 4 yrs or less instead of truly investing that money in a way where the technology could be renewed every 4 years!  I don't profess to have the answers but if we as a profession emphasized reading, writing, and arithmetic (yeah, I'm old school) the students would be prepared with all of the necessary tools to be workers and citizens in the 21st century as the use of technology requires you to be extremely literate and extremely proficient with numbers.  So all of the "programs" we fund in education need to be slashed (usually the ones with "education" following a title are nothing more than a waste of time but try to brain wash the students into a particular ideology!) 

This is the perfect time for the educatiion system to rise up and demand our local funding back and tell the state and the feds let us teach our kids in our local community and stay out!! The courts need to come to their senses and examine the damage done to the educatioin system and the undo burden they  have put on it by taking every once of personal responsibilty away from the student and the parents in regards to their own education and the environment in which they learn!!

Thanks for a chance to vent.

It's great that students are able to access  and collaborate with the world as never before. It's great that we are able to communicate like this as never before. It's not so great when we have students that can't do simple math, can't write and can't communicate their thoughts verbally without a cell phone. You don't think this is sad reflection of our society? Look around at the malls, weddings, etc. I chaperoned a school dance last week. No one danced, they barely spoke to each other, but all you saw in the dimly lit room were cell phone screens and everyone texting each other. We are going to have a "Carpal Thumb" epidemic in a few years. perhaps we will evolve into some type of multi-thumbed species. Since the inception of the Dept. of Education, we have successfully dumbed down almost an entire generation. They, with this introduction of "great" technology, are becoming lemmings to our leaders. Don't tell me about hypocrisy. I was born at night, but it wasn't last night. In my 20+ years, I have watched this introduction of technology and the downfall of education. It would do this country a favor if the Dept. of Ed. were disbanded and that astronomical amount of cash spent on it were given to the states to actually teach our youngsters the 3 R's and true history before it's too late. Then and only then would technology enter into the picture. It is a tool just like pencils and paper. It's all in how it is used. Right now, it is not being used properly. It's becoming the modern day babysitter, teacher, parent and friend. SAD INDEED.

Talk about a downfall in society.  Why don't we take a longer look at the families.  Even a longer look at ourselves as the adults that allow the thumbs to keep moving on cell phones.  Most parents don't enforce limited technology use.  I see students in 3rd grade with cell phones.  Quit blaming the schools or the government for what the social majority is allowing.  Schools only have the students for 7 hours a day and less than 200 days a year.  It is high time that the parents and extended families of all our children return to the days that they were involved and HELP teach.  Volunteer in a school, that will save money.  Turn off the TV at home that will help students become more active.  Set time limits on computer use that will help some start reading and maybe the 16% of the time that students spend in school for those 12 or 13 years can be used to help students prepare for the jobs of the future.
Further if districts (especially poor ones) were left without some of the federal funds some of you would start complaining your property taxes are going too high.  Quit blaming and start providing solutions.  The question here is about how to modernize our schools not about how to send us back to the 20th century. 
If the President could get people to realize that we need to support our education program as much as people support movies and professional sports that would be a start.  If we didn't just expect the best from our teachers and actually paid them for the highest level of importance in what they do that would be a plus.  If more parents took a larger role in promoting a good education and creating appropriate guidelines for their children at home that would be outstanding.
By the way I am a parent and though I'm not perfect I at least try to support the efforts.  What about the rest of you?