I think it's appropriate for the teacher to curb activities that will cause disturbances, but this teacher went overboard in terms of ignorance. First, she can't confiscate items from students beyond the class period, only during the class, and second, she clearly has been scared somehow regarding F/OSS. No matter how separate the "classroom domain" is, this kind of behavior from a teacher is really disturbing.
On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 3:54 PM, Joel Witherspoon < [email protected]> wrote: > You haven't worked in education. :D > > I currently work for a school district. There is an adage that teachers > teach, they don't learn. To be fair, only a small (<1%) are this idiotic. > Most understand that they will need to use computers, but they have a fear > of them. Not the same Futureshock fear that the computer will take their > job, but a fear that their kids will know better how to work the computer > and humiliate them at every turn. It's a legitimate fear. The first rule in > classroom management is "Do not be humiliated!" As a result, many don't use > the computer for instruction, and instead use it to surf the web, buy > tickets, shop Amazon, etc. (I see the logs). > > Second, teachers are pirates the likes of which you have never seen. They > will pass around software illegally whenever they can and feign ignorance. > Most are ignorant of EULAs to the extreme. I think "Karen" probably got > reprimanded a time or two for these types of violations. Either that or > someone scared the crap out of her about illegal software. > > Third, there is one thing that everyone must know about schools and > teachers. The classroom appears to be a separate soverign state that belongs > to that teacher. Not the school, nor the district. He/she is responsible for > EVERYTHING that goes on in that classroom. If a kid touches another kid in > that classroom, the teacher is liable. This isn't to excuse her ignorance, > but if she was in the classroom and a kid is passing around CDs at his > laptop causing a disturbance (no matter how small), that is a cause for > concern. Her first instinct is to protect the students - and herself - and > unfortunately she went on the attack rather than assessment. Just a > different perspective to consider in regards to her behavior. Also, I think > the author will make little headway in the meeting with the Superintendent > and the teacher. The extent of her discipline will be that meeting. > > > On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 1:59 PM, Dante Lanznaster <[email protected]>wrote: > >> >> http://linuxlock.blogspot.com/2008/12/linux-stop-holding-our-kids-back.html >> >> Unbelievable that people can be so stupid. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> LinuxUsers mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://socallinux.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/linuxusers >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > LinuxUsers mailing list > [email protected] > http://socallinux.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/linuxusers > >
