Is technology widening the achievement gap between rich and poor schools?

This was a question my group had to answer last week in my Technology and Education class. We maintain that YES it is. Case in point: In my school, there is one ancient laptop that only teachers are allowed to check out, the most pervasive technology used is the 'overhead', the computers we use are outdated and none of the kids know how to maneuver around the internet. At Carmel schools, the teachers have notebook computers in their classrooms that are connected to a projector so that as a teacher walks around the classroom they can write notes that appear on the screen in front. Many kids have their own personal laptops, tvs in everyroom, hallway and cafeteria broadcast the daily announcements and are run through a central server. also, they have wireless.

My professor works at a 'poor school' as well, but the school board in his school has according to him, "really embraced technology" so he is uber-sensitive to any notion that poor kids lag behind in their use of technology. He started an argument with us and kept trying to imply that we were saying that since there is a gap, why bother teaching kids how to use technology. Of course thats not what we were getting at in the least. But even as poor schools catch up to the technology being used in the rich schools, the rich schools will be able to afford the newest and latest innovations.

I was seriously angry at his implications that we just don't care and therefore won't bother trying. When he asked what our solution to this should be I told him that we should stop funding schools based upon property taxes. He ignored that. But seriously, how can they keep up? When 90% of our kids get free breakfast and lunch, we obviously have expenses that Carmel doesn't have. Carmel schools can evolve as the technology does. I don't see how our schools can catch up and STAY caught up. Especially when the governor cuts school funding in order to balance the budget. The school I went to cut out the ENTIRE art department in order to cope with the loss of funds. How are schools like this supposed to afford laptops for every student, or software agreements that need paid annually and you never actually get to own?

Do I think the gap is widening? Yes! Our students will be at a disadvantage perhaps for the rest of their lives b/c they won't know how to manipulate the technology that is running our modern world. If they don't get the basics, it will be hard to evolve at the lighning pace that technology is able to. The solution: More money for poor schools of course and intensive training. But, try convincing administrators to spend time everyday to catch our kids up on technology when less than 1/3 of the students are passing the standardized tests. Because of No Child Left Behind, if we keep failing, our schools get shut down.

Ok, I know this is rambling and not cohesive in the least. Can you tell that it makes me angry?

Let me know what you think. Especially you allison since you study this sort of thing. Any suggestions?