Sunday, June 13, 2004

WIRED FOR WASTE / A SPECIAL REPORT: A $73 million spending spree Atlanta schools overpaid for a lavish computer network that costs taxpayers millions more to run Author:    PAUL DONSKY, KEN FOSKETT Staff Date: May 23, 2004 Publication: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Atlanta Public Schools misspent or mismanaged nearly $73 million from a national program intended to give poor children access to the Internet, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation has found. With virtually no limit on spending, Atlanta since 1998 has built one of the country's most lavish computer networks for schoolchildren. Now, Atlanta says it needs $14 million a year -- three times the district's textbook budget -- just to run and maintain the network. And much of the promised benefit to students has yet to materialize.   That was the front page headline in the AJC just two days after the final day of school. It made for some fun "watercooler" talk during the following teacher work-week. And the article, covering over 2 full pages of the paper, exposes one incedent after another of  extravagance. Buying from the highest-bidding vendor. Installing technology far more powerful that schools could ever need. Millions of dollars of unused equipment sitting in storage.One should not be surprised. You would think there would be much more accountability when it comes to public money, especially in such large amounts. I will be interested to find out what if any consequences come of this. You'd think some heads would have to roll. The question is, whose. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled to see how this develops.  10:05:32 PM    comment []