The Foundations of Technology (FOT) class has been removed from the course selection options for the 2019-20 school year, upsetting many students who viewed the class as a way to get their technology credit required by the state for graduation.

Students now have the option of two classes to fulfill their technology credit: Foundations of Computer Science or Introduction to Engineering and Design (IED), the first class of the Project Lead the Way program.

Computer Science introduces students to the different fields of technology, including web design and cyber security, while IED teaches students more about the basics of engineering, with an emphasis on different work skills like drawing and the use of the Adobe InDesign program.

The counseling department says that they are removing FOT because it prevented students from exploring the other technology programs offered at RHS.

“We wanted to offer more opportunities for students to choose between the two pathways based on their technology career such as Foundations of Computer Science or Introduction to Engineering and Design (IED),” head counselor Alejandra Crawley said.

Students who have already signed up to take the class are affected by the decision as they must choose between the two programs to fill in their tech credit.

Freshman Andy Byrne has not yet gotten his technology credit, but learned about the removal of the class and feels it was a necessary measure taken by counseling, the administration and the technology department.

“It’s always unfortunate when classes are taken away and this decision was no exception,” Byrne said. “I was planning to take FOT for next year but then chose Computer Science because of the removal, but Computer Science allows me to challenge my brain with different kinds of activities in the class.”

Unlike Byrne, other students simply need to fill their tech credit to graduate rather than exploring technology as a career.

“I chose FOT because I thought it would be easier for me rather than the [other class],” said junior Erin Swan, who chose FOT as a technology credit instead of Computer Science. “But the class was boring for me and the curriculum was hard to follow with the amount of projects that we were given, in the end I’m glad that they chose to remove FOT.”