Laptop Project Update For Bertie Schools

There has been a lot of conversation about this computer project. Some have noted it is modeled on the Greene County laptop project where every student in middle school and high school was provided with an Apple Laptop Computer. The latest information about the Bertie County project was shared in the BOE meeting on Monday, where it was suggested that the project was going forward, but that it would go forward at a somewhat slower pace.

Specifically, it was suggested that the first step would be to purchase computers for teachers in two of the grades in the Middle School, and those teachers would be allowed to learn the computers and become more knowledgeable of the systems that Bertie County has selected. The preparation and training step for the teachers is an excellent step. I agree that whatever the reason the Bertie County Schools have decided to slow the project down and get the teachers training done first, it is an excellent decision.

However there is a problem. That problem is buying computers when we have not done our homework. We still cannot be said to have done a professional job of identifying the best computers to buy for Bertie County.

The stated goal of this project is to allow Bertie County students to become comfortable with the modern concept of carrying your computer around with you in business. This is certainly the norm in most business cultures today, however the reality of business clashes with Bertie County plans with respect to the type of computers to use. Modern business uses Microsoft Windows computers to an overwhelming degree. Gartner Group reports that Apple only garnered a 4.6% share of the market for the second quarter of 2006. Though Apple are reported by Macworld to get 23% of the U.S. Education Market, that still leaves them a far distant second to the leader, Microsoft Windows.

It would certainly appear reasonable to conclude that heavy preference would be given to the type of computers that our students will be exposed to when they get out of school. However the decision makers in this Bertie County project appear to have selected Apple with little investigation. My only reason for believing this is that I offered my services to help with doing a professional selection evaluation (this is what I did for a living when I was in Silicon Valley) and I was told "We are going to use the same computers they used in Greene County" so "we don't need your help".

When you look into it further though, it appears that the financing of the Apple iBooks was a part of the attraction of the Apple for Greene County. Is financing really the best issue to use for the selection of a technology that will so heavily impact our students future success?

Another recent news article said that Warren Buffett has contributed $37 Billion to The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates had already donated $29 billion himself, with a significant portion of the money directed to assist in educating poor children in developing countries. Though Bertie County is not a "developing country", we are certainly a poor county. You would think that someone from Bertie County Schools would set as a high priority contacting the Foundation to see what they can do to help with whatever we do with regards to computers for our children. However with the professional expertise that Gates has applied to everything that he has ever done, you would first want to be sure that all actions of our project have been conducted professionally. Writing off Microsoft and selecting Apple cannot be said to have been a professional decision.

Why will Bertie County not take the time they have (now that it is clear their Apple imposed deadline cannot be met) to rethink the decision for Apple? Apple paid to fly the BOE and Central Admin staff out to California, but does that really justify failing to consider the implications for our children of picking a minor player in the marketplace? Why are we picking Apple? Does anyone know?