"I would be in favor of a program that provides these devices to low income families." I am in favor of equal access for all and huge believer in the benefits of technology. Putting a laptop into the hands of every child at school will not give them those benefits.
So, what you're saying is that you are in favor of giving technology to low income people even though you don't believe it will give them "those benefits". Which is either too vague (I have no idea what you actually mean) or mutually exclusive "waste of money"
My whole point was that Technology gives access to knowledge and Education in ways that people cannot see, because we are stuck in "industrial" education model (Factory schools). Electronic computing devices, including Chromebooks, iPads/tablets, and full function Laptop/Desktops DO provide all sorts of benefits, and easily and affordable as we want, even mostly "Free" (for content). AND That will give students (teachers, parents etc) the ability to break free from Industrial Education into highly specialized and intensive education, at the pace every student can select for themselves.
Lastly, your mistaken about my viewpoint, because either I am not articulating it well, or that you are simply still stuck in "Industrial education" mode. YES you have all those things, and yet you still see them as a benefit to "industrial education" rather as an opportunity to extend education in a way that benefits everyone, based on ability, rather than the parents wealth.
The only way to make sure that we have a society that is well educated, is to provide equal access to Education, apart from industrial education model we currently have. We currently spend a great deal of money on the Politics of Industrial Education and funding our failing schools because we have failed (as a society) to realize that the educational needs of our society have change. We do not need robot industrial workers, we need knowledge based workers who can learn new tasks and acquire new skills quickly and efficiently. Something our current school design cannot do, because it wasn't designed for that purpose.
I still feel sorry for your kids, because you've given them tools, without teaching them how to use them to learn, and create.
I can see how you mistake passion to make everyone the best possible person as "Irrational Emotion". Our schools will have to change. I see that change is needed, and because I am in front of the curve, I appear to be crazy. I accept that.