[Cialug] Iowa Public Schools - Linux Terminal Server

[Major Stubble]

These are just my two cents.  It's not meant as a criticism to the
ideas offered - more as a op ed on the terrible situation of our
schools.

> In larger schools...they typically have all the in-house tech support the=
y
> need between the dedicated IT team, and the high school kids, (some of wh=
ich
> are involved in Cisco, RedHat, and/or Microsoft certification programs)=
=20
> About the only time they call in a consultant, is when they're doing majo=
r
> changes of infrastructure.=20

I came from a larger school (Davenport West High School).  I grant you
that I have been long removed from the day to day activities there.=20
However, I remember that even as large as Dav West was, almost all the
technological needs of the students and the teachers were taken care
of by the teachers.  That's why when Ms. Smiley (real teacher) wants
to move most of the school's yearbook layouts to the Mac, she will
either listen to publisher or a talented student from her class.

This was the way things went in the keyboarding class down at
Davenport Smart Junior High School.  Hardware, software,
authentication.  All of this was decided and implemented  by the
supervising teacher.  Most have little experience.  Almost all will
stick with what was there previously.  That's why the office
proficiency classes in Davenport are inconsistent from classroom to
classroom.  I pray the situation has change.  I doubt it has.

> For a full time staff member: new tech: $24K, experienced tech: $35K and =
up=20

I fear that this is both accurate and abysmal.  Even if it is for a
single school, such a meager budget is woefully shortsighted.  This is
just my opinion, but I have seen the load that a good school can put
on a full-time, non-administration (ie not the associate principles)
hire.  [EDITORIAL: From top to bottom, it would seem that the work
load is in reverse to the pay structure.]

A good system administrator (alone) would end up working 50-60 hours a
week.  This means that the said administrator would earn on average
$11.50 to $13.50 an hour (assuming the $35K).  I'm surprised that
school boards don't jump on this, as it would be like paying for a
single teacher [NOTE: sarcasm].

> 2.  Does anyone believe it would be more cost effective to use Linux in
> place of Apple or Microsoft in the K12 environment? ...
...
> From my perspective, the absolute easiest way these days (read that
> as needing the least amount of specialized knowledge) is probably with an
> OSX server.  You get the Macs on a central login, as well as providing Sa=
mba
> services (and centralized login)  to the Win clients.=20

I hope this is the case now.  I know that a year ago, the Cedar Falls
school board denied a request for additional funds to the standard IT
budget so that the high school could replace both the hardware and the
software currently in place (a move towards this idea).  I fear that
this is a similar problem with most school districts.  Frankly, the
over-priced cost of the Apple systems prevents this dream scenario.=20
Most school board members (unfairly) note that they could purchase
three Dells (or worse - Gateways) for the price of a G5 [I know that I
am exaggerating, only I do remember a certain board member making this
statement to the local rag.].  Given this mindset, how many teachers
and secretaries work within the system with underpowered PC's or Mac's
with OS 9.x?

*sigh*

I apologise.  I'm really just venting.  This isn't just a problem with
K12.  I'm sure that most of you with full-time positions in IT know
that this mindset exists in every realm of both education and private
business.  I just find it upsetting because when mediocrity is the
norm, all we can ask of the future is a lower standard.

I personally feel that many of these issues arise from higher ups who
have a mindset that their pay check is more important than anyone
else's.  In the end, it is those who are serviced (in this case K12
students) who suffer.

Good IT can be affordable.  The second question should not be how much
it could cost.  Instead it should be, where is the money we need to do
this right.

In the end, this will only get worse.  So long as teachers and staff
are treated as an irritating burden on the school board's pristine
budget, we will never see the infrastructure that will best (or even
adequately) serve the students of Iowa.

-MS