Amid controversy regarding expense and allegations that Apple flew three legislator’s at the company’s expense to its campus as part of research to see whether a “one iPod per child” program would have been effective back in March, Michigan lawmakers rejected the proposed legislation according to Macworld UK.
The program, which would have allocated US$38 million towards the purchase of an MP3 player for each student in the state of Michigan, came under fire due to expense, the state’s current and projected deficits and Apple’s having paid for air fare to its headquarters. An article in the Detroit Free Press has revealed that a result of the controversy, the legislators have created plans to pay the U$1,700 air fare back to Apple.
Representative Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, was quoted as saying that he hoped the refunded air fare would end the controversy. Melton also commented that the issue has “spun completely out of control”, the disputed US$38 million budget proposal to incorporate more technology in the classroom having been intrepreted as a plan to exclusively buy iPods.
Melton mentioned that Representative Matt Gillard, D-Alpena, ignited interest in the iPod by citing it as a “wonderful learning tool” and saying that House Democrats wanted to put one in the hands of every schoolchild in the state of Michigan.
Amid controversy regarding expense and allegations that Apple flew three legislator’s at the company’s expense to its campus as part of research to see whether a “one iPod per child” program would have been effective back in March, Michigan lawmakers rejected the proposed legislation according to Macworld UK.
The program, which would have allocated US$38 million towards the purchase of an MP3 player for each student in the state of Michigan, came under fire due to expense, the state’s current and projected deficits and Apple’s having paid for air fare to its headquarters. An article in the Detroit Free Press has revealed that a result of the controversy, the legislators have created plans to pay the U$1,700 air fare back to Apple.
Representative Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, was quoted as saying that he hoped the refunded air fare would end the controversy. Melton also commented that the issue has “spun completely out of control”, the disputed US$38 million budget proposal to incorporate more technology in the classroom having been intrepreted as a plan to exclusively buy iPods.
Melton mentioned that Representative Matt Gillard, D-Alpena, ignited interest in the iPod by citing it as a “wonderful learning tool” and saying that House Democrats wanted to put one in the hands of every schoolchild in the state of Michigan.