PEARSON IN THE DITCH: This week, the Los Angeles Unified School District announced that it is no longer purchasing iPads installed with Pearson software--and instead, reportedly seeking a multimillion-dollar refund from Apple, Inc. (Now, that’s an expensive refund.)
"While Apple and Pearson promised a state-of-the-art technological solution for ITI (Instructional Technology Initiative) implementation, they have yet to deliver it," David Holmquist, the school district's attorney, wrote in a letter to Apple's general counsel as reported by Southern California Public Radio.
According to a screenshot of the letter, shared by Eric Leonard, a journalist with KFI AM-640:
LAUSD's relationship with Pearson and Apple has been tender, after coming under fire when the LA Times reported on former superintendent John Deasy's dealings with Pearson and Apple. But with regards to saying "no" to Pearson software, Holmquist wrote in his letter that LAUSD is "extremely dissatisfied" with Pearson and its failure to get computers into the hands of each of the district's 650,000 students.
"As we approach the end of the school year, the vast majority of students are still unable to access the Pearson curriculum on iPads," he said.
If an agreement can’t be reached, will the district take Apple to court? It could be hard to find an impartial jury in LA.
