[KLUG Members] Linux in schools

[Tony Gettig]

Hi Bruce,

I am the network administrator for Kalamazoo Public Schools. I would be
very interested in hearing about what you are doing and possibly lending
a hand. I know there are others on the klug list that would be
interested in this too. Maybe this would be a good time to get everyone
interested in Linux in the schools together for a round table
discussion, possibly over dinner somewhere? 

The biggest hurdle I keep running into is one of M$ culture and the
refusal to change. Deep down, I think it's mainly fear that keeps people
in the schools from changing. I have no doubt about the students. They
would adapt fine. It's the so called "higher thinkers" in administration
and the secretarial staff that are the road blocks. 

Even more so, I made a discovery recently that was rather interesting:
we apparently have agreements with certain local colleges that will
remain unnamed to teach a certain curriculum for office productivity
(i.e. MS-Office). The idea being that the kids are doing in high school
what they would be doing in college, thereby giving them the opportunity
to get college credit while in high school AND prep them for the MOUS
(Microsoft Office User Specialist, I think) certification exam. So, it's
not just a matter of $$$ for us, there are external relationships and
curriculum on the table.

But it's not all bad news. I have permission to install Star Office in
two labs this fall. While it's not Linux, it's a step in the right
direction. The idea that I keep challenging folks here with is making M$
the exception instead of the standard. That change in thinking has far
reaching implications for licensing, teaching, and administrative work
flow. 

I'm envisioning a bunch of folks from K-12, and possibly the area
colleges, occupying the back room at Damon's, Chi-Chi's, or someplace
similar. A time to network with an eventual agenda of talking about
Linux in the schools, what we're doing now, what we want to do, how
Linux can help, and how we can help each other. Anyone else interested?

I guess I wasn't aware that there was an inschool list for this. I just
subscribed while typing this message. I have cross posted this to both
the members and the inschool list, but I will send future emails on the
topic to the inschool list. 


On Sun, 2002-06-16 at 20:06, Bruce wrote:
> Hi All!
> 
> I have  a question that I'm trying to get answered. I have some
> information that I need, ie. the post from last week on the Largo Fla.
> for their Linux systems. What I'm looking for is email addresses,
> articles, and anything inbetween for using Linux in public schools.
> 
> The reasons that I am asking for this is now that I'm back to work, I
> don't have the time to go looking. And I have promised a school board
> member that I would get him all the information that I could email to
> him on this subject. Comstock schools are spending/going to spend a
> bunch of $$ to "update" the computers and "software" every 3 years.
> Personally, from what I've seen with Linux, this is pretty redundant.
> And lame.
> 
> I haven't made the promise yet, nor will I without asking first: If
> Comstock schools were to go to a Linux system, school wide, would there
> be any KLUG members willing to help implement this? I am asking first
> and talking later with school board.
> 
> As always, TIA
> 
> Bruce

-- 
Tony Gettig
http://www.penguindude.com
GBY!