[Inschool] Re: [KLUG Members] Linux in schools

[John Bridleman]

* Tony Gettig (gettig@chartermi.net) wrote:
> 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? 

I'm interested.

> 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. 

In my particular situation it's not fear, at least as far as the administration is concerned. The fear is with the teachers - training and teaching materials.

The teachers that I know already have materials based around MSOffice. Are there any training materials for Star Office?

Also, at the elementary level, they wold have to be able to run Reader Rabbit, Putt-Putt and Accelerated Reader. If we can't make these things run then forget it.

The administration is looking at anything that can be done to cut costs. If I could walk in there with a server and a half dozen workstations and demonstrate that these applications could be run then I know they could be convinced to switch away from MS and Novell.

It would be nice if it could run along with Novell through a transition period.
--
John Bridleman / www.bridleman.org