After the Bibb Board of Education filed a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against former superintendent Romain Dallemand, we wanted to talk a closer look at details of the suit.
It accuses Dallemand of spending more than $3 million on these computers that were unusable.
Kristin Hanlon was a parent of Rutland students when Romain Dallemand was Bibb County's School superintendent from 2011 to 2013. She remembers questioning many of his decisions and ideas.
“They were expensive, unrealistic, and would not solve many of the problems that were in the schools at the time,” Hanlon said.
She says she wasn't surprised by the lawsuit filed against Dallemand and several others on Thursday.
Her major concern was with 15,000 computers purchased at a cost of more than $3.7 million.
Those computers were never put to use.
They now sit boxed at a Bibb County warehouse where they have been since they were delivered more than 3 years ago.
Bill Knowles followed Dallemand closely as a blogger and activist, and says the purchase wasn't necessary.
“The people were begging for toilet paper in some of the schools. I mean, just basic supplies,” Knowles said.
Hanlon is unhappy the computers were never able to be used.
“It's unusable technology, and, yes, millions was wasted, millions that could have been spent on real technology or other services that could have helped our students,” Hanlon said.
According to the lawsuit, they were not compatible with the district's current system.
The suit also claims they would have needed to buy additional screens, keyboards, and an annual license for each device.
It also claims that Dallemand broke bidding laws and procedures to push the purchase through.
Knowles has this message for the former superintendent.
“He ought to be ashamed of himself for what he did to the kids of Bibb County and the taxpayers, but especially the children. He took advantage of our kids,” Knowles.
Both Hanlon and Knowles hope the suit is a step in the right direction for Bibb County's students.
We reached out to Romain Dallemand again Friday at his business in Naples, Florida, but he did not return our calls.
The district's lawsuit also accuses several other individuals and vendors who allegedly conspired with him. They also have not returned our calls.