In every classroom, there are a few essentials: desks, pencils, paper, chairs (though some might debate that one)—and printers. Among the most relied-upon tools, printers quietly serve both students scrambling to reprint lost assignments and teachers managing last-minute handouts. But soon, those trusty machines may disappear.
While he acknowledged that desktop printers are “very helpful” and widely preferred, the district deemed them tooexpensiveto maintain.
In place of classroom printers, there’s talk of hallway printing centers—larger, centralized machines meant to serve multiple classrooms. But students and teachers alike question whether that’s realistic.
Some teachers are already feeling the effects. Damaged printers are going unreplaced, and the inconvenience is noticeable.
One teacher noted, “I disagree with the removal of printers… it benefits the student. When they leave to go to the library or house office to print something, that takes away from class time.” Students in that class nodded in agreement.
According to the Board of Education’s 2025–2026 budget report, there will be “a reduction in the area of technology equipment replacement.” In practice, this has taken shape as the removal of individual classroom printers.
“It’s a ‘cost savings’ plan bythe Central Office to remove individual desktop printers,” said Mr. McGarry, the teachers’ union leader.
Mr. McGarry echoed the concern, especially for younger grades. “I’ve advocated on behalf of teachers to keep desktop printers at the elementary level,” he said. “It’s more difficult when students lose materials or need accommodations because of 504s and IEPs.”
“The real cost is about toner,” he explained. “Toner is very expensive.”
“It’s like taking away all the side streets around the Merritt Parkway,” one student remarked, “so everyone’s forced onto the highway, and it just gets more crowded.”
The true consequences of this decision remain to be seen. But one thing is clear: for many teachers and students, printers aren’t just another piece of tech—they’re part of the classroom’s heartbeat.
So pay attention to the printers. Their absence may speak volumes.
(Both refer to plans designed to support students with learning differences.)