Schools should ditch books: New York mayor hopeful

New York students would ditch textbooks and be issued tablets under a proposal by a leading candidate for mayor.

Christine Quinn, the current city council speaker and a favorite to replace her ally Mayor Michael Bloomberg in November, said the technological upgrade would open "limitless" possibilities.

"Thanks to the Internet, teachers in any given subject can share lessons and materials with colleagues around the world. They can organize those lessons into online textbooks, which their students can read on tablets in school and at home," she said in a speech Tuesday.

"So a teacher in the Bronx can pull together the most relevant information for his class, and update it throughout the year to stay current. He can incorporate videos and interactive multimedia assignments that better engage kids living in a digital world."

According to Quinn, who is vying to be the Big Apple's first woman and lesbian mayor, the project would pay for itself.

"We currently spend more than a $100 million a year on textbooks. That's enough money to buy tablets for every student in New York City public schools, and cover staff costs," she said.

(c) 2013 AFP