[GRLUG] Linux @ school.

[Benjamin Eavey]

> it is very difficult 
> to fire a teacher unless you catch them with a jar of vasoline, a 
> saddle, and a small child.

Yes, this is a problem, when dealing with bad teachers.  Ideally, 
though, in a perfect world, the bad teachers don't last long enough to 
get tenure.  Obviously there are exceptions.  Tenure isn't all bad, 
especially once teachers start working with older students and more 
mature, thought-provoking topics.  More info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenure


> Not to be too inflammatory but I also know plenty of moms who 
> homeschool and most of them do a better job than these teachers we pay 
> 50k a year to. If a housewife can teach children better then a 
> professional then what on Earth is going on???

Homeschooling is great, if the mom/dad stays home with the kids and is 
willing to put in the necessary effort.  Especially at the elementary 
school level, this is a fantastic option.  Unfortunately, there are a 
lot of single moms/dads and families with 2 working parents (including 
mine) where homeschooling is not an option.  I want good teachers 
instructing my children, and I think most other parents do, too.


> I have ZERO respect for people who strike. In my opinion the whole lot 
> of them should be fired regardless of what job they do. Too bad that's 
> illegal. I have no problem with paying good people to do a job that they 
> are capable of doing. But unions prop up losers and ruin companies.

Depends why they strike.  I'm not defending it, necessarily, but it 
isn't always out of line.  If you're talking about the DPS strike, then 
yes, I personally agree with you.  It wasn't the best option, especially 
with the way things are going in Detroit.

Anyway, there are always shades of gray with every issue.  Read _The 
Jungle_ by Upton Sinclair, for instance, and see if you can still 
generalize strikes in the same way.

-Ben