Chuck Hughes, Salisbury, N.C.
♦ It has been almost three years since Rowan-Salisbury Schools System entered the new age of technology by introducing the K-12 use of Apple MacBook Air laptops and iPads in their 1 on 1 initiative. With all the many millions of dollars being pumped into education, the Apple program remains one of the most controversial issues in our school system.
My focus is on the Apple program’s cost. RSSS’s initial investment in the extremely expensive Apple MacBook Air Laptops and Apple iPads came to $12 million dollars over 3 years. That does not include the hundreds of thousands invested in software to feed this monster. Our first contract was with Apple. Other Apple competitors, such as Google ChromeBooks, used by over half of the U.S.’s school systems, were never discussed. How do we justify paying Apple millions of dollars without at least making them bid against competitors HP, Lenovo, Acer, Asus, and Samsung all makers of ChromeBooks. Are there not laws against no bid contracts?
Google’s Chrome Books Make Up Half of the U.S.’s K-12 Classroom Devices. Apple Not Even Close:
I also raise an eyebrow to the “technology” awards given to our school system. How much, if any, influence does Apple have on who gets these awards? Isn’t this award achieved by purchasing Apple products? Call me a cynical, but I’m just sayin’.
