Do computers help or hurt education for kids in lower grade levels?

I think it's a good idea. Everybody is too far behind the 21st century these days. And even if they do have blocks on websites, most likely they aren't that secure. Just type ping (URL here), in command prompt or terminal. If you can't get to command prompt directly on a PC, open notepad or a word processor and type command.com, then save as a .bat file. Open the file and type the command, then take the IP address that it gives you, and type it into your browser.

Depends on how the child learns. Some will be unable to get around the machine, as it functions as a distraction (in much the same way some kids play with other school supplies). If they can understand that it's a simple tool like anything else, I think it helps. Though admittedly I have way more experience with computers than with kids :)

In theory it is suppose to help because of the immense resource that the internet is. But, because the internet is filled with other things like online games and other material that can distract from learning they need a little monitoring to make sure the are learning

A computer is a tool. If a child is taught how to properly use a computer (tool) just as they're taught how to use a pencil/pen/crayon (other, obviously far simpler, tools) then the answer is simple -- computers are an integral part of (modern) education. At lower grade/maturity levels, more adult supervision is required when children use more advanced tools (like a computer). It's the old, "Stop eating the glue!" thing, y'know? ;-)

A computer may actually help. When I was in school, we had a program that helped people learn. It was called Classworks, and it basically went along with what we were learning. My school had it set so you had to enter a password to even quit it. I would say that the tools like Office and the like should be saved for higher grades, but for lower grades computers can be used for learning tools like keyboarding or educational games. People learn differently, and computers can also be a way for people to learn.

It really just all depends! They can either use that computer as a resource for reports, or, they can use it to fool around and listen to music.

Guns don't kill. The people who shoot other people kill. Computers are not teachers. That onus belongs to the teachers. How computers are used determines whether it hurts or helps the educational process. For example: Teach the math processes before, handing them a calculator.

When I was in school we did NOT have computers, of course I have also been asked if I rode a horse to school, from my limited experience (I am retired, and have been for over 10 years, but I have been PC literate since DOS, back when computers took up rooms not desk tops) I find that PC's in schools (and I have quite a bit of contact within a couple of schools) are a Godsend, there is so much information at your finger tips, without the hours required to find a book, then search that same book for ten lines of text, now you simply Google it, everything is not yet on the web, but it is getting there

I'm from Ohio and I went to an online school from 5th-8th Grade called ECOT. You were supplied a computer and reimbursement for internet. All of your course work was online; you emailed your teacher your completed assignments and could ask for help whenever you needed it. It was a great experience and I really honed my typing and research skills. I went to public high school in 9th and 10th grade and I was the only one there carrying a laptop. I used it to take notes and do assignments. In 11th-12th grade I went to a vocational school for the class "Computer Support Technologies". I was inducted into the National Honor Society and graduated from DeVry with my Associates Degree in a year. I work for a school district now as the Network Specialist and we have a 1-to-1 laptop program. We've seen mixed results from students. Some use it only to goof off, and others use it for serious study.

My first computer I played around with was an Amiga A600 I got for my birthday when I was 4. The exposure I had to computers and the internet made me the IT person I am today at 20 years old. (Plus I got sweet Sonic the Hedgehog cheats)

Judging from the grammar displayed in the question title, I would just ask you if your school had computers in the classroom, and base my answer on that ;)