There’s been much community discussion in the past few months about a Shoreline School District proposal to give laptops to all fifth- and sixth-graders in the district this fall.

Among the questions: With the district’s budget crunch, is this the right time to start the program? Will laptops increase the learning curve many teachers will already face, moving to new schools or teaching new subjects thanks to budget cuts? Is it appropriate to give a 10-year-old their own school computer?

What was learned from the experiences this year after the district gave a laptop to each middle and high school student?

The program so far has produced some good things, especially with teachers who know how to use the technology and dove head-first into integrating it into their lessons.

There were also problems, including widespread Web surfing, game playing and other off-task behaviors during class. Many teachers, whether unfamiliar with the technology or not feeling a need for it, asked students to put the laptops away altogether during class.

Despite the concerns, the need for more teacher training and the problems yet to be worked out with secondary laptops, the board voted unanimously this past week to expand the program to fifth- and sixth-graders this fall, which will initially cost about $2.5 million in capital fund dollars.

Considering how much discussion the program has prompted, it was surprising how few questions were asked by board members.

One question was asked: What is the goal of the program? Board members wholeheartedly accepted the staff’s answer and moved on with the vote.

Many school boards, more than their city council counterparts, tend to accept staff recommendations on large issues — from expensive new programs and projects to recommendations for cuts — with little in the way of probing questions or objections.

True, such questions are usually raised during study sessions, a time for board members to gather information. Still, votes against a staff recommendation are rare.

This can give the impression that the board and the district act as one, which can lead to some public frustration.

When voting on a $2.5 million project that’s sparked so much interest that parents are approaching board members in the grocery store to talk about it, the attempt to get some more answers to hard questions is in order.