There was more fallout over the weekend from Cobb County , Ga. ’s failed “ great power to Learn ” laptop computer computation program , according toThe Atlanta Journal - Constitution . An investigation into the program said that the school system“deceived ” the publicin choosing which Apple as the fellowship to furnish it with laptop computer calculator .
First foretell in May , the “ Power to Learn ” program was heralded as the potentially crowing ever one - to - one computing enterprise in the country . Apple and Cobb County announced plans to deploy 17,000 iBooks for teachers territory - wide and for students at four “ demonstration ” school day across the district . If researchers at the University of Georgia had found the plan effective , a total of 63,000 iBooks could have been deploy across the school district . No rather had the plan been announced than it run into trouble .
Former Cobb County commissioner Butch Thompson filed a lawsuit to stop the program drained in its tracks . The money used to pay for the iBooks was culled from a special county broad sale revenue enhancement ratify by voter in 2003 . Thompson lay claim that taxpayers agreed to fund an climb of disused computer organisation throughout the school system , but never authorized Cobb County school officials to grease one’s palms laptops .
Superior Court Judge S. Lark Ingram agreed , cite that the funding procedure was in query , not the meritoriousness of the programme . Ingram halted the programme in belated July . presently thereafter , the Cobb County schooltime gameboard kill the iBook programme all together .
A account commission by the Cobb County School Board from Kessler International — a firm that specializes in embodied investigation and forensic accountancy — does n’t appear to put down the blame at Apple ’s foot , but paint a critical picture show of the Cobb County school district ’s bidding process . Among their findings , Kessler has concluded that Apple got the contract even though it did n’t ab initio make the last slice of troupe to be considered . Kessler also aver that the Cobb County Central Office faculty lied to investigators and cites “ discrepancies ” in record book - guardianship .
A separate investigation is underway by the Cobb County District Attorney ’s office and may lead to criminal charge , accord to the report .
