Post 4 - Ridiculous

While reading through Chapter 5 for this week, I stopped to read the Ethics and Issues 5-2 box on page 265. The article questions employer responsibility for computer-related repetitive strain injuries. Let me just say what came to mind as I was reading: are you kidding me? This is absolutely ridiculous, but I guess that's our society. I can't believe that anyone would consider RSI when relating to white-collar positions that require work at a computer throughout the day. It's the employees responsibility, not the employers to use proper posture when working on the computer. To this day, I still hold my wrists up and often do not look at my screen while typing because in seventh grade typing (in 1995) when I learned to type on a manual type-writer, we weren't allowed to look at anything, but the book or paper we were working from, and my teacher would take off a point every time we would rest our wrists on the lower part of the keypad area. Because I learned proper posture, I know how to maintain my skills without hurting myself physically. I'm amazed by my own seventh grade students who can only type using one finger from each hand. They, at the same time, are amazed that I can type an email or work on a Word document, while staring them down during homeroom. I always tell them it's because I listened to my teacher and learned the proper way to type. I think it's ridiculous that an employee would hold an employer responsible for injury because they can't type properly.

Although, as an aside, I am disappointed in my own school district's technology plan. Due to funding cuts, they do not offer typing or any computer class until 6th grade because they cannot afford a technology teacher in the elementary. Therefore the elementary teachers are responsible for working with the students and the computers, many of whom are not equipped for this task. Also, it's a shame that students are not learning technology skills early in school because they are bombarded with technology on a daily basis, but half of them cannot even use it or use it properly. In a technological age, one would think schools would focus on technology.