Followup To "When Teachers Are Obstacles To Linux"

An couple of anonymous readers wrote in to let us know about a followup to last Wednesday's story of the teacher who didn't believe in free software. The Linux advocate who posted the original piece has cooled off and graciously apologized for going off half-cocked (even though the teacher had done the same), and provided a little more background which, while not excusing the teacher's ignorance, does make her actions somewhat more understandable. Ken Starks has talked with the teacher, who has received a crash education in technology over the last few days — Starks is installing Linux on her computer tomorrow. He retracts his insinuations about Microsoft money and the NEA. All in all he demonstrates what a little honest communication can do, a lesson that all of us who advocate for free software can take to heart. "The student did get his Linux disks back after the class. The lad was being disruptive, but that wasn't mentioned. Neither was the obvious fact that when she saw a gaggle of giggling 8th grade boys gathered around a laptop, the last thing she expected to see on that screen was a spinning cube. She didn't know what was on those disks he was handing out. It could have been porn, viral .exe's...any number of things for all she knew. When she heard that an adult had given him some of the disks to hand out, her spidey-senses started tingling. Coupled with the fact that she truly was ignorant of honest-to-goodness free software, and you have some fairly impressive conclusion-jumping. In a couple of ways, I am guilty of it too."

Comments

Cheaper by the dozen

[mcgrew]

So boasting a stunning readership in the dozens

Not today!

"Why did you throw me to the wolves like that?"

Priceless! IMO she deserved it. She should have mentioned the kid's being disruptive in the first place, and not accused Helios of malfeasance.

I'd like to see a Windows-free educational system. I can't see my tax dollars wasted on something unnecessarily expensive when the money couold go somewhere more necessary, like fixing the buildings or paying the teachers better. If they were better paid, perhaps we wouldn't have such incompetent ones, and I say that as a dad who fought my own school district when my now grown kids were in school. Of every ten teachers I've met, one MIGHT have been a good one.

Re:Cheaper by the dozen

[plague3106]

I'd like to see a Windows-free educational system.

Why? So your favorite OS can be instilled much the same way you hate how Windows is instilled?

I can't see my tax dollars wasted on something unnecessarily expensive when the money couold go somewhere more necessary, like fixing the buildings or paying the teachers better.

Schools don't pay anywhere close to full price for their licenses.

If they were better paid, perhaps we wouldn't have such incompetent ones, and I say that as a dad who fought my own school district when my now grown kids were in school. Of every ten teachers I've met, one MIGHT have been a good one.

I believe the fault there is how education is being paid for. People (rightfully) don't want to pay any more in taxes than they already do. Some, like myself, don't want to pay at all for someone else's kids education. Ya, ya, supposedly it "benefits" me in some way. Until someone can argue specifics and not generalities (my son might be a doctor that saves your life! Maybe, but more likely not.), I think parents should pay for thier own kids schooling. If schools actually had to compete for teachers, I think we'd find many more good teachers. As it is, most choose to use the "free" school system, and thus reap the "benefits."

Re:Culture of Fear

[east coast]

Please consider that this is part of her job. If something happens on school grounds to a child and an adult is aware of the danger before it happens than there will be hell to pay. Maybe you're different than most other parents but given the temperament of most parents a teacher really needs to cover themselves for all kinds of levels of liability when it comes down to the students well being as well as school property.

Re:Awwww

[uofitorn]

And what is she going to come away with? A newfound appreciate for Free Software? Or the rants and raves of a bunch of freetard lunatics. I wouldn't bet on the former.

Oh yeah this is /., I need to mention that I am writing this post from a FreeBSD desktop otherwise I have no 'cred'...

I see what you did there.

[Risen888]

Wow. That "$" instead of an "S?" That's so classy and original. I am in awe of your wit, sir.

Re:Awwww

[Ant P.]

Y'know, I rarely see any of these "freetard lunatics" you're rambling about. Maybe it's because I don't use BSD? I did look at the OpenBSD mailing lists once though and wow, those were something else entirely...

Re:Awwww

[uofitorn]

Do you read the /. comments often? Freetards are everywhere! I use Linux daily as well -- I just can't stand the blind evangelism certain outspoken members of the community exhibit. Most FS users are well mannered individuals in real life. The Internet brings out the jerks who can't tolerate a viewpoint other than their own.

Ever read the (now defunct) Linux Hater's Blog? http://linuxhaters.blogspot.com/ It's great.

Also, I hardly see how the one sentence in my original post is "rambling" :)

Re:Obviously sign of jumping to conclusions

[ChameleonDave]

Exactly. That's one of the things that have always pissed me off about foreigners. You get these people who say, "You and your compatriots are ignorant of geography," just because we don't know the names of the continents; yet when you ask them to name the streets in my neighbourhood, they say, "what does it matter?". I hate ethnocentrism, but only when it's other people's. Maybe in my country people have better things to do than stare at "maps" and "books".