[Edu-sig] UPDATE: High School Network Security

[Arthur]

Chuck Allison wrote:

>Hello Frank,
>
>Some of the reasons cited below from your tech coordinator certainly
>make sense, but not for the classroom. Businesses rightly are
>concerned about vendor support, adequate testing, standards
>conformance, etc. - it can make a big difference in costly projects.
>  
>
Part of the problem is structural, in a duely perverse way.  In many
institutional settings the approval process in linked to the procurement
process.  If there is no need to undertake a procurement process (it's
free) there is nothing to which to attach an approval process. Approval
is therefore an impossiblity.

But - again - simply pointing this out and expecting someone to put palm
to forehead, and exclaim "of course -  our system does not make sense in
this regard, thanks for pointing that out. we will endeavor to change 
it" - is not what we are going to get.  Promise.

>But in small, informal classroom use, a teacher who knows Python can
>give all the "support" that's needed. Fortunately at my college, I can
>just tell the students to download whatever software and use it (they
>all have their own computers - and I have it placed on our lab
>computers as well - we have no bureaucracy to stop it - the IT people
>are there to support the faculty, not impede them). Over-cautious
>IT policies should not stand in the way of educating. Educating
>bureaucrats in such separation of concerns is certainly in order.
>  
>
We have what we called in my day the AV (for audio-visual) department
setting policy for physics teachers.

Absurd as that it, it is a new reality of our new age.

With the additional development that Headquarters has taken a new 
interest in the policies of the AV department.

Art