I have to be honest here. While I see where this judge is coming from, I still think that this basically stinks for all involved with this iBook situation.

“Superior Court Judge S. Lark Ingram ordered an immediate halt to a groundbreaking laptop computer program Friday because school leaders did not tell Cobb County voters what they wanted to do with a voter-approved special sales tax,” Kristina Torres reports for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Ingram said the ruling had nothing to do with the merits of the program. But, she said, ‘fair notice of such use was not given to the public when the referendum for [the sales tax] was held.’”

The deal was originally structured to “eventually distribute 63,000 Apple iBook laptops to all teachers and all students in grades six through 12. About $25 million of the sales tax money was to be used for the program’s first phase, which the school board approved in April,” Torres reports. “Ingram agreed with Barnes’ argument. As a result of the ruling, the only way school officials could pay for the program would be to use their general fund. The school board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday to talk about the decision. It is likely any decision to appeal would be made then.” [Get the links]