I go to a school which has recently made it "absolutely necessary" to bring a laptop to school. I have gotten in trouble regularly because I refuse to take my laptop to school. We only got it in the first place because we were able to rent and that they based the entire curriculum on the laptops in year 10. If you tried handwriting, you'd miss out on in-class emails, handouts, websites, etc. There was no choice but to get a laptop.
I think laptops in schools are a stupid idea. My school now has the program beginning in Year 7 and are thinking about putting it into practice in the primary school as well. I can think of nothing worse. They are a distraction in class and unless you can focus really hard on what the teacher's saying as well as what's on your screen, you've got my respect. Personally, I felt like I was falling behind in Year 10. Once I got into VCE and handwrote all my notes, I felt on top of things again.
Yeah, it's a rich school. But my parents sent me here, I worked hard to get a scholarship, and dammit if I'm not going to try hard in my work to make it all pay off.
And it's not bragging. Bragging implies we're showing off to someone. We're not. We're discussing what it is to have a laptop in the class room, it's usefullness and disadvantages. Laptops are just an extra that some of our schools offer, that's all. And it's nothing really to brag about as they only reduce productivity and concentration. I wish they'd never decided to have them at all.