[GRLUG] Linux @ school.

Wed Sep 27 14:15:57 EDT 2006

I believe teacher wages are being debated by groups of people who
understand the intricacies of education: impact on children, required
education level for teachers, overall impact on  all future business and
social areas.  It is not without a reason that the government of
Michigan points to education as a solution for unemployment in our
state.  In my opinion if teachers are paid too little people who should
be teachers and who have the mental and emotional capacity for the job
will not make it their career.  We will end up with more and more
accidental educators: I don't know what else to do so I will teach ...
Education has to be a competitive environment and we are lucky that in
Michigan with such teacher factories as MSU we actually export
teachers.

As to Windows in education the answer is simple.  Most of business
world uses Windows as workstation OS, therefore schools teach students
how to use that OS.  And yes they do get a break from MS for spreading
the disease.

Surprisingly Macintosh is quite popular at middle and high schools and
this is because schools do not retire computers quickly.  So we can
expect that as they get rid of MACs they will get Windows and keep it
for a while.

Schools are a great opportunity for Linux, and maybe we could show some
initiative and provide presentations for local schools on using Linux. 
If we as a LUG show interest in schools they may be more willing to try
out Linux on the workstation.

If you have a kid at school or otherwise have contact with an official
at school how about offering a Linux presentation for faculty and
technical staff.  I'm sure if you post a request on the list we'll
organize a visit.

Szymon Machajewski

Solutions Engineer / DBA
Red Hat Certified Engineer
Oracle Certified Associate
Microsoft Certified Solution Developer
www.grcc.edu/smachaje 

>>> "Benjamin Flanders" <flanderb at gmail.com> 9/27/2006 9:25:06 am >>>
The reason schools pay money for Windows is because they don't know
any better.

On 9/27/06, Ron Lauzon <rlauzon at gmail.com> wrote:
> Let me chime in on this, since this is a sore point for me (both my
dad and
> one of my brother's are teachers).
>
> Having had bad teachers, and having seen what the schools did to my
> brothers, I can see Collin's point.  I think that we pay teachers way
too
> much *for what we get from them*.
>
> I think the issue here is value.  I don't mind paying a good teacher
plenty
> of money, but I do mind paying a bad teacher alot of money.  But
current
> public school rules say that teacher have to be paid not on how good
a job
> they do, but on their senority.  No wonder why charter schools tend
to do
> better.
>
> Now back to Linux...
> One of the issues with computer technology in schools is money.  Why
are
> schools PAYING for Windows when Linux is free?  Why are schools
PAYING for
> MS Office when OpenOffice is free?
>
>  These are the type of questions that parents need to bring up to
the
> schools when the schools say "we don't have the money for xxxxx." 
Part of
> the problem with the schools is that they do not spend their funds
wisely.
>
>
>
>
> On 9/27/06, Benjamin Eavey <ben at eavey.com> wrote:
> > > Or how about we don't pay teachers way more than they are worth
and
> > > don't cater to their incessant demands? We waste far more money
on
> > > teachers and their above average benefits than we ever could on
buying
> > > computers and other supplies. Don't forget that the true cost of
an
> > > employee is usually double their salary. For a teacher making
50,000
> > > that's upwards of 100,000 after payroll taxes and benefits. Now
you tell
> > > me which is a better way to save money: Not buying $3,000
computers or
> > > knocking holier-than-thou teachers off their bully pulpits? Maybe
we can
> > > use the money we save to buy better supplies and hire more
teachers?
> >
> > I don't want to go too far into this debate, so I'll just give my
> > opinion and leave it at that:
> >
> > You say $50,000/year is way too much for a teacher's salary.
> >
> > I have 2 kids in elementary school.
> >
> > Your opinion scares me.
> >
> > I don't want someone who makes $25,000/year, for instance, teaching
my
> > kids.  Period.  What kind of people will you end up with if you
don't
> > pay a decent salary?  You'll end up with people who couldn't get a
> > better job doing something else.  That's frightening.
> >
> > My children will (unfortunately) spend more time with their
teacher
> > during the week than with me.  I want that person to be someone who
has
> > a good education, who is well-qualified, and who makes a good
salary.  I
> > want the position of "teacher" to be desirable and satisfying for
> > intelligent, well-educated people who can be good role models for
kids.
> >
> > Basically, I don't want someone in a comparable economic position
to the
> > assistant manager at Wendy's educating my children.
> >
> > Thanks for reading.
> >
> > We can go back to talking about Linux now...  :)
> >
> > -Ben
> > _______________________________________________
> > grlug mailing list
> > grlug at grlug.org 
> > http://shinobu.grlug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/grlug 
> >
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Ron Lauzon - rlauzon at acm dot org
>    Homepage: http://7lauzon.home.comcast.net/ 
>    Weblog: http://ronsapartment.blogspot.com/ 
>
>    DNRC: Lord of All Things That Are Fattening
>
>    "To be sure, conservative radio talk show hosts have a built-in
>    audience unavailable to liberals: People driving cars to some
>    sort of job." - Ann Coulter
>
> Microsoft Free since July 06, 2001
> Running Mandrake Linux 10.1
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