The headline seemed like great news: Public schools investing in 100 iPads.

But the reaction to the news was far from positive. Citizens challenged the need, the cost and the practicality of the purchase.

All were indications of a growing frustration over why our public schools are not performing better.

That blanket over our community is why nearly every candidate for public office — for decades — shouts about improving the schools. It’s why a group of leaders hopped on a bus back in the spring to tour all of the schools and take a close-up look the problems, in hopes of finding some solutions.

Many residents simply view the schools as a lost cause.

That is truly a shame.

Because black students make up the majority of the student body at Natchez-Adams public schools, such a reaction is often viewed as having racial tinges.

While some of the negative Nellys among us may look at the world with racial glasses, the great majority of citizens are not racist.

Most people, regardless of their own skin color, share common goals for all of the children in our community — a quality education in a safe, nurturing environment.

While we certainly support the district’s desire to bring the best available technology into the classroom, it certainly seems many more fundamental problems face the district, including the antiquated buildings, the less-than-stellar test scores and, perhaps equally as important, the huge public relations issue that exists.

We’ve long said the district has its work cut out for it in hoping to regain the support of the whole community — red, yellow, black and white.

Spending thousands of taxpayer dollars on the latest technology may simply be putting the cart before the horse.