Reply to Charged $150 for chrome book replacement

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Reply to "Charged $150 for chrome book replacement"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Have you considered just not paying. [/quote]

They are holding his High School Diploma hostage over this[/quote]

That is not legal.

The principal wants the cash for his slush fund.[/quote]

This is the in the ransom email

Students are expected to return all MCPS textbooks, library materials, Chromebooks, uniforms, and other instructional materials, supplies, and equipment, in good condition.

Students with outstanding obligations must clear them before receiving their Maryland High School Diploma.
[/quote]

I would look up any kind of serial number and/or operating system on the chrome book and then Google to see if you can get info about how old the chrome book is and what it would cost to buy the same
model used.

Then, I would take the "ransom" email you got and put your side of the story in writing - that there was no accident or misuse and describe the kind of failure (stopped turning on).

Put a paragraph in that says that the school did no technological assessment of the cause of failure such as replacing battery or cord or checking power supply. Refer to this article https://thermtide.com/19276/news/mcps-chromebooks-short-lifespans-pose-issues-for-students/. which details how chromebooks have many technical problems.

Then put in a paragraph about how new Chromebooks cost $150, and it's a basic principle that people should only be held responsible for the depreciated value of an item, not the replacement value.  In addition, MCPS has a legal obligation to provide a free public education and asking students to pay full replacement without any evidence of damage or fault is inconsistent with the principle of public education and the obligation to provide items necessary to participate in school free of charge.

Close by saying that for all those reasons, the sum of $150 is completely inappropriate, and that you are asking (fill in the blank, principal or higher) to waive the replacement fee and release the graduation hold. Say you look forward to resolving this matter without having to resort to due process options.

See what happens. If principal continues to refuse, forward refusal to Superintendant, head of the tech department (whom you could ask how old the device was and what MCPS purchased that model wholesale for)

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