Friday, September 12, 2003

Textbooks headed to Iraq

Children in Iraq will soon have the tools needed for learning due to a donation of 54,000 used textbooks from the Fulton County School System.

Wednesday at 6 a.m., five tractor-trailers carrying more than 100 pallets of textbooks headed from the Fulton County Schools warehouse to Savannah, where the books will be transported to Iraqi schools. The tractor-trailers were manned by servicemen from the 639th Transportation Company. The 101st Airborne Division, currently in Iraq, will receive the books and distribute to local schools.

The textbooks, which have served all grade levels in English/language arts, math, science, and social studies subjects, were replaced this year by a new textbook adoption. The discarded books will be sent to Iraq, where schools are in desperate need of supplies to replace school materials damaged or destroyed by the conflict. If purchased new, the textbooks would cost $1.3 million.

"It pleases [the Board of Education] to know that we can help the children of Iraq. We put students first no matter where they live," said Board President Katie Reeves. "All children should be afforded the opportunity to learn. We see this donation as a way Fulton County can help Iraqi schools educate their youngest citizens so that they will grow into knowledgeable, well-rounded leaders."