This bad idea never seems to go away. Remember the Los Angles Unified School District’s $1.3 billion iPads-for-all project? LAUSD big-wigs claimed that the Apple iPads and Pearson software would raise LA students’ Common Core test scores. I covered the questionable decision here and here. While the proverbial other-shoe appears to be dropping. Not only did the apparent sweetheart deal between the LAUSD Superintendent, Apple (AAPL), and Pearson (PSO) cost Supt. John Deasy his $350,000 a year job – now the Feds are involved.
The LA Times reports that the FBI served a subpoena against the LA school district which compelled America’s second-largest school district to cough up 20 boxes of documents related to the flawed iPad project, to a federal grand jury.
The subpoena asked for documents related to the bidding process as well as to the winning bidders in the $1.3-billion poorly planned project. The subpoena, which was provided to The LA Times, is part of a wide-ranging investigation is looking into records related to Apple and Pearson that predate the bidding process or that involve other projects. The article says the documents sought include all kinds of documents:
… score sheets; complete notepads, notebooks and binders; reports; contracts; agreements; consent forms; files; notices; agenda; meetings notes and minutes; instructions; accounting records” and much more.
The article notes that the morning after the FBI seized the documents, Supt. Ramon C. Cortines said he was shelving the contract. He denies that decision was based on the surprise visit by the FBI. Supt. Cortines told the LA Times;
We’re not going to use the original iPad contract anymore. I think there have been too many innuendos, rumors, etc…
rb-
The grand jury process has recently developed a credibility problem in the US. So who knows what they will find in this case. Apple and Pearson have billions in cash to spread around to “educate” people about how great they are.
This just goes to prove how the confluence of bad ideas, poor planning, and greed can go terribly wrong.
Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.