As a technician and planner, I agree with Jeff Greiner that EVERY
classroom should be wired. In the long run, it will be less expensive
and save time for everyone involved. Full participation will give your
school the quick start capabilities needed to keep enthusiasm and
momentum going. It will also open up the options for future growth.
Partial starts also create professional and personal envy which leads
to political division. Retrofit, the standard practice in most
near-sighted educational policies, is expensive, wasteful and
unproductive.
The politician in me says you must make the most of what you can get,
even if it is just a photo op for the gov <sounds like it to me>. Has
anyone checked into the cost differences and benefits of wiring EVERY
classroom? Can matching funds and support be raised to complete the
project appropriately? Are volunteers available to defray the costs?
If you can convince the governor that the voters will be better served
with complete installation, help him sell it to the public <get him on
the talk shows and in the headlines> everyone will get more bang for
their buck. Joint projects which involve/benefit the community, save
taxpayer dollars and create good political will are good publicity for
a politician.
I don't know much about your system or the plan, but if it's like most
systems/plans in the country, you need a good jump start to catch up
with yesterday, muchless lead tomorrow. I understand the need for
compromise, but wish the educational systems had agents like some
basketball stars whose names I won't mention. Then, I'm still amazed
to see brand new schools open with lots of wooden buildings beside the
main structure because of the planning, budgets and politics.
Because It's a Jungle
Tom Swinney, Media Technician
Media Services
Southwest Texas State University
601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666
Voice: 512-245-3170
Fax: 512-245-3168
Internet: ts04@admin.swt.edu
Mobil: 512-753-6267
Preparing students for a world of technology changed when they get
there.