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Re: [school-discuss] Answering Rasjid



I'm afraid that this situation is similar, here, where I live, in Spain. There's a big Open Source movement right now, in schools. But I've recently read that because of some kind of power or political struggle, these linux distributions (based on Debian) come with almost no programs, so finally both teachers and pupils try to get to a Windows computer.

It's really a pity and a waste of everything these kind of situations. Sometimes common sense is the least common of the senses.

Victor Nuño


Marilyn Hagle wrote:

Rasjid,

This was the situation. I put Linux on a teacher friend's school
computer last year. Our campus technology specialist knew about it and
said . . . "ok, but remember, you have to support it for her."
I got into trouble a year later when some tech dude passing through
discovered it, and when the tech director found out about it, the campus
tech specialist wasn't around to stick up for me. Other people have
told me, "don't worry about . . . the tech director is feeling powerful
these days and chewing out everybody."

This is sort of Jerry Springer stuff, but in reality, much of the
resisitance to Linux/Open Source in education comes from power stuggles,
professional jealousy and other ridiculous motivators. Common sense,
cost, efficiency . . . what is good for the students . . . these things
are not factors.


Marilyn


rasjidw@openminddev.net 12/05/03 8:31 AM >>>

On Wednesday 03 December 2003 01:50, Marilyn Hagle wrote:

In my own school district (large = about 35 campuses) I have a "gag
order" on me. I am really not supposed to try to convert anyone to
Linux - and absolutely not to install it anywhere outside my own lab.
I

put it on a friend's computer (Windows was hosed) and received a

severe

verbal lashing by the district's Tech Director. Having an outlet to
share - like speaking at this convention - is really great.

This has been bugging me for days, so I'm going to ask:

How does something (anything) you do to a friend's computer have
anything to do with the district Tech Director, or the school system in general for
that matter? I assume that your friend's computer was owned by them, and not
by the school system?? Therefore it should have nothing to do with anyone
else except you and them. You were presumably acting as a private citizen,
and not in any kind of 'official' capacity. I just don't get this at all. Am I missing something here?

Cheers,

Rasjid.