James,
Wonderfully stated!!! Wanna post this on a web site? I'd gladly add a
link in my Education links section...
Pierre
PS: Hoping to find time to read the USAFreedomCorp doc this week...
http://usafreedomcorp.gov/usafreedomcorps.pdf
On Wed, 30 Jan 2002 13:18:13 -0800
James <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Would seem to me that the solutions are.
>
> 1. Make your voice heard. As a parent your resposibility is your
childs> education, not the school. The school could be the vehicle you
chose to> fill your responsiblity but it's not the states duty. Join the
PTA, go to> school board meetings. Make your voice heard.
>
> 2. Volunteer to arrange volunteers to teach computers, maintain
computers> etc. Quite often the person teaching computers isn't a trained
instructor> in computer science but rather someone who was judged to be
the most> knowledgeable (IE they know how to set up a table in powerpoint)
and with> the lightest schedule. The code is open source, why not make
the> education open source as well.
>
> 3. Don't attack windows, attack the quality of education. This is an
> issue every parent will understand. Talk about the difference between
> understanding how a computer works vs. being a low wage data entry
clerk.> (a bit harsh but it will make people listen.)
>
> 4. Don't come across as a Linux bigot. Instead come across as a parent
> who cares about the quality and kind of education that ALL the children
in> the school recieve.
>
> 5. Understand that a budget is a two edged sword, cutting your spending
> is as deadly as over spending. (you'll get less next year either way)
> also note that often the budget isn't labeled "to buy computer software"
> it's labeled "to buy 17 copies of Windows XP, 17 copies of Office XP
etc. > You need to attack the school board on this one. Be careful, these
are> often people who are filled with self importance that exceeds even
the> presidents worth.
>
> 6. Visit the RedHat White paper section, grab the data on Total Cost of
> Ownership and write a white paper outlining the cost efficiency (not
> necessarily savings) of using Open Source applications, and how even
> though they aren't Windows they still enable a child to move throughout
> the world of computers easily and intuitivly. Then present it at a PTA
> meeting AND a school board meetin. Remembering that being an elected
> official isn't about being good it's about looking good, and if not
doing> what you suggest makes them look bad...... they will follow your
lead.>
> 7. Be prepared with hard numbers and demo's of educational Linux
software> in hand. (bring in that notebook) Real killer here is if you do
a> powerpoint style slide show on Linux. The oooohs and ahhhs will blow
you> away.
>
> 8. Remember your fighting FUD not fact. The only way you can do that is
> .....
>
> "You know I heard the same thing, but when I did some research into this
I> found out that ....blah blah blah. Oh and here is where you can check
it> out for yourself.
>
> James
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