“Cobb County school board members voted Wednesday to approve the first phase of a new laptop computer program, with a 4-2 vote that mirrored the controversy surrounding what could become one of the nation’s largest laptop initiatives,” Kristina Torres reports for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “‘There has been a tremendous amount of heartburn and angst and . . . miscommunication about this,’ said board member Laura Searcy, who voted for the proposal to provide Apple iBook laptops to all Cobb teachers — more than 7,100 next year alone. Phase I of the program also will equip four high schools as demonstration sites and upgrade middle school computer labs.”
Torres reports, “Members Lindsey Tippins and Betty Gray voted against the plan. Gray said she felt ‘duped,’ and Tippins warned that Cobb may be getting in over its head financially. ‘A time bomb wrapped up like a Christmas present is still a time bomb,’ he said. Approval is contingent on a final contractual agreement with Apple Computer that will require a separate vote. Barring a derailment in negotiations, teachers will get their iBooks this summer. Those computers will represent the start of a three-stage phase-in that eventually could distribute 63,000 Apple iBooks to all county teachers and all students in grades 6-12.”
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Atlanta-area school district on verge of deal for 31,000 Apple iBooks – April 12, 2005
Cobb teachers voice concerns over using Macs for proposed laptop program – March 29, 2005
Cobb County Georgia meeting discusses plan to equip schools with 63,000 Apple iBooks – February 24, 2005
Report: 90 percent of emails opposed to Georgia’s Apple iBook program – February 10, 2005
65,000 Apple iBooks for Georgia schools one of the largest school laptop programs in the country – February 10, 2005
Georgia school district to propose 63,000 Macs for students and teachers – February 07, 2005
Yeh-heh-hehessssss. Finally, someone in Georgia shows evidence of brain power.
I drove through Cobb County once . . . very quickly.
But seriously, it’s a great place . . .
And no, I won’t poop on it today.
(I haven’t eaten yet.)
Hello Triumph
Please come home, I left something out when I made you. Your brain is waiting, your head is hollow! Sorry…
I’m curious why Ms. Gray felt ‘duped’. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, ‘duped’ means “to deceive (an unwary person)”. Does that mean that she is “not alert to danger or deception” [ibid.]? Why is Apple to blame for her apparent ignorance and obliviousness? This is a Fortune 500 corporation you’re dealing with, lady, not some shady Amway salesman going door to door!
I live in Kansas City, Missouri, where having one of the worst school boards in the history of public education is almost a point of pride with some people, but NONE of the board members here would EVER admit to the press that they’re easily fooled by flashy city folk with their fancy addin’ machines like this rube did in that article.
Great, guess Apple stock is going to take another dive…
God in Heaven: ” . . . I left something out when I made you . . . “
Dear “God”;
Triumph here. I thought you were infallible?
Since not, I POOP on you.
AND Cobb County.
Excellent news!!!
Now if only this would happen in UK schools!!!
That’s pretty cool. A bunch of peoplw will be exposed to a solid alternative to Windows. Could mean some good return sales in the future.
I’ve got to hand it to the Cobbsters! I underestimated their intelligence and vision from all the hoopla a few weeks ago surrounding this obvious direction in I.T. for education.
Wonder how they’ll react in few more years when it becomes obvious the traditional “school house” is obsolete and it makes a heck of a lot more sense to have “virtual schools”:
(a) lower cost for schools and families
(b) less transfer of various forms of decease, e.g. colds, flues, SARS, what have you.
(c) link students around the globe for some real world learning: better quality
(d) Safer
(e) No more questionable school lunches
Just to name a few.
Don’t know what they’ll do with all the empty “school houses” though. Maybe turn them into prisons for slick talkin’, big city sales reps from charlatans like Apple computer.
Oh, MacMania — That was so . . . so . . . clever.
NOT!
I’ve seen the error of my ways from my posts in other MDN threads.
I was such a tool before.
Now I realize: Macs rule!!!
SUCK IT, WINDOWS DORKS!!!
Jon E Wunnut too licks crank.
I’m going to have to show this to the president of the school board here, a fellow mac user, i’m dating her daughter