Life in "Progress" City - Detroit edition

So you would like a new laptop?

Before you go out and spend hard earned dollars at Best Buy for one, head to Detroit where you'll be able to pick one up for a song.

Why?

Detroit Public Schools will spend $49 million in federal money to push technology in the district, including distributing 40,000 new laptop computers to students in grades 6-12 for use in class, as well as more than 5,000 new desktop computers.

Each DPS teacher also will get a laptop.

More.....

Lo and behold. Before I could even finish this post, I tracked this down.............

Detroit Public Schools officials say they have suspended a Durfee Elementary School teacher who allegedly tried to pawn her district-owned laptop computer at one of the biggest, most popular pawnshops in Detroit.

The DPS Office of the Inspector General investigation said Karen Drysdale-Oriucci, a DPS teacher since 1994, went to American Jewelry and Loan on Greenfield Road on Wednesday to pawn the netbook computer she received from the district on Dec. 17.

Store staff refused to pay the teacher for the netbook –- which is engraved with the DPS “I’m In” logo on its cover -– instead confiscating it and contacting DPS officials.

Drysdale-Oriucci was suspended Thursday with pay, pending a disciplinary hearing.

More......

First, is anyone really surprised by this?

Second, how much do you want to bet that Ms. Drysdale-Oriucci gets her job back?

Giving stuff to people to make pawn shop owners rich?

Now that's "progressive"!