If we blame "government" for computers in schools we're doing exactly what corporations that are behind pushing for computers in schools want. Namely, attacking the wrong entities and letting the real perps get off scot-free.

Microsoft started many decades ago pushing massive quantities of hardware and software into schools. So did Apple. All well before mass internet access. They offered very low "educational" prices, sometimes free even. The idea that "government" was driving this may have been partly their intent, and, they were often able to generate government subsidies of various kinds and levels (local, state, federal) as well which helped give that impression. Also, plenty of politicians, bureaucrats, and educators (especially at the administrative level), drank the marketing kool-aid and pushed all this as well. There was a lot of great marketing language about all the wonders of computers and benefits to society and future-proofing your kids (or not "leaving them behind") and so on. But the fundamental impetus for computers in schools was these companies generating their respective next-generations customer base.

I saw this all happen as it was already well under way. I was the IT department for a small community college in the early-mid 90's, and my girlfriend at the time - and thus a bunch of other people we knew - was in K-12 education. Highly successful corporate marketing of tech to educational sectors (regardless of need or consequences) has continued, in evolving ways, to this day.