Kids Can’t Wait
I
n 1979, few schools had computers. Jobs strongly believed
that if every school had at least one computer, it would
change students’ lives. He proposed that Apple donate a com-
puter to every school in the United States. This would have
cost Apple 100 million dollars, which the company could not
afford. But, if Apple could donate the computers and take a
tax deduction, as was allowed for donations to universities, the
cost would be 10 million dollars, which Apple could afford.
Jobs enlisted the aid of California congressman Pete Stark.
He and Jobs drafted the “Kids Can’t Wait Bill,” which made
donations of equipment to K-12 schools tax deductible. Jobs
spent two weeks in Washington lobbying for the bill.
Unfortunately, the bill never reached the Senate floor.
However, the state of California thought the bill was a good
idea and passed a similar bill that covered the state. As a result,
Apple donated one computer to every school in California. It
donated software and provided free training for teachers. Jobs
says that getting computers into the hands of children in this
way is one of his greatest accomplishments.
said Jobs was the father. For the next two years, he denied the
baby was his and refused to pay child support.
In 1980, Brennan took Jobs to court. He was forced to pay
child support, but he still refused to see his daughter. No one
knows why Jobs acted this way. Eventually, he came to acknowl-
edge and love Lisa, but it took time. In the interim he continued
focusing all his attention on his other baby, Apple.
“We Will Have a Company”
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