Orwell's "1984" In TeachWonk's School System

I teach children in a medium-sized California school system that consists of 11 campuses. In my school system, administrators have begun to do something that is very disturbing to most teachers. What they are doing is using little hand-held computers to keep track of what we are doing in the classroom.

All over town, administrators are disrupting classes by dropping in several times per week and watching us while they type into their 1984 style computers. Each time they "visit" they are recording where the teacher is in the room, what the children are doing, how many are talking, and whether or not the teacher is moving around the room. Then without a word, they get up and leave.

This great amount of data-entry and keeping tabs on us have begun to make us think that we are living in some sort of Orwellean setting where everyone and everything is being watched. And everything is being reported to Big Brother. (aka the Superintendent)

We teachers are curious to know if it would be alright if we bought some Palm Pilots, opened their office doors, dropped in, and watched them work for a while. Perhaps we could record how long they leave campus for their "nooners."

Our opinion is that it will not be long before we will have to sign documents professing our love for Big Brother.