“The Cobb County school board approved a final contract with Apple Computer on Thursday for what could become one of the nation’s largest efforts to provide laptop computers to students,” Kristina Torres reports for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Approving the contract was the final hurdle before Cobb embarks on the groundbreaking and controversial plan. ‘You’ve got to look at what works for kids,’ said board member Johnny Johnson, before joining a 5-2 vote in favor of the contract. ‘Give them a tool they know how to use much better than we do.'”
“With the first phase already endorsed by the board on April 13, the Cobb school district’s more than 7,100 teachers may get their state-of-the-art Apple iBook laptops as soon as July. In the next few weeks, four high schools will be designated as pilot sites, where students will get iBooks sometime next school year. The first phase of the program also calls for upgrading middle school computer labs starting next fall,” Torres reports. “The Cobb program eventually could distribute 63,000 Apple iBook computers to all teachers and all students in grades six through 12, if the school board approves the rest of the program in coming years.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Well, that was painless, huh? Regardless, the Cobb County School Board officially sheds their “rubes” designation on the same day the Henrico County School Board earns theirs.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Henrico school board dumps Apple Macs, picks Dells with Windows – April 29, 2005
Cobb County school officials intend to move forward with Apple iBook program – April 21, 2005
Cobb Commission chief urges delay in Apple iBook program, says issue has become too emotional – April 20, 2005
No conflict of interest in ongoing Cobb County Apple iBook saga – April 19, 2005
More controversy in Atlanta-area school district’s plan to buy Apple iBooks – April 16, 2005
Cobb County Georgia approves first phase of plan that could equip schools with 63,000 Apple iBooks – April 15, 2005
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
I guess what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabout!
Whilst I’m not certain that a inspirational well motivated, well paid teacher isn’t a better investment than a laptop, congratulations to Cobb County for at least making a decision which is the least of all evils if that’s the way you want to go.
Looks like Apple wins won and loses won. To bad for the Henrico kids. Great news for the Cobb County kids. They will actually be able to use there Macs to learn things other than how to get rid of spyware, viruses and hackers. I’m just wondering what the parents and kids of Henrico are thinking about the boards decision.
They will actually be able to use there Macs to learn things other than how to get rid of spyware, viruses and hackers…
Give us all a break with your rhetoric. Yeah, they’ll use there macs to become artist’s and fag’s, oh and learn to pay too much for computers…
It stupid to give kids laptops anyways, Apple will have fun with repairs..
Judging by the spelling and grammar on some of these boards, no doubt people were brought up in schools using Windows.
Here’s a perfect chance for someone to do a TCO case study between the Henrico and Cobb County School Districts. It doesn’t even have to be a long one, say, three years. That’s the shelf life for both, don’t you think?
I hope both school districts are able to use the technology they are purchasing to provide educational opportunities to their students, and I feel bad that the Henrico students are stuck with Dells. But that’s what the corporate masters want, so that’s what the corporate masters get.
Being from Cobb county I’m glad I finally have something that says progress to brag about, up until now progress was (and will unfortunately continue to be) equated with urban sprawl! Cobb county is one of most affluent counties in the southeast and it makes sense that they’re are putting all that tax money to work on something that will elevate the reputation of the county as well as the well being of its ever important education system.
Just think … Tiger on all those laptops …. awesome … can you imagine the impact?
Yeh-heh-hehessssssssssss. I take it back. I take it all back, Cobb County! Every bad, nasty, unkind thing I ever said about you. Now, your children will learn that computers are fun to use and don’t always come loaded with viruses. Maybe some of your female students . . . but not the computers! Hey, I keed. I keed the slightly backwards counties of our nation.
Now all you need to do is get your heads out of your asses and stop putting Creationism stickers on de textbooks, okay?
http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/news/2005/GA/201_victory_in_cobb_county_1_13_2005.asp
Seriously, I’ve seen more common sense displayed by Joan River’s makeup woman.
BJ said – Yeah, they’ll use there macs to become artist’s and fag’s, oh and learn to pay too much for computers…
What kind of moron are you??? If you don’t like Macs, stay off the Mac news sites. And nice that you equate artists with fags. You’re not only a moron, you’re a hater, too.
Oh, and learn to spell. It’s they’re, not there, idiot. And you don’t need apostrophes unless artists and fags possess something. Go back to school!
Since Henrico County Schools will be moving from Mac 10.3x to Windows XP, comparison will be easy. Somebody- follow this.
God Bless ’em!
I admit, I didn’t thinkd the Cobbsters had it in ’em.
Now that this soap opera is over, I guess it’s back to Y & R on the tube.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
“Seriously, I’ve seen more common sense displayed by Joan River’s makeup woman.”
Good one ‘T’.
Seriously, BJ. What do you have against the Mac, all you Bill Gates worshippers do is flame Mac people. I can see that you never went to any learning facility of any kind. Go play with your graphics card, or antivirus software. Or whatever it is that you windows trolls do…
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”tongue wink” style=”border:0;” />