tlh@cs.purdue.EDU (Thomas L. Hausmann) (04/09/88)
{Cross-posted followups to appropriate group...}
In article <126@dogie.edu>, edwards@dogie.edu ( Mark Edwards) writes:
> I think there would be more marginal benefits to reducing research money
> and spending it on our lower educational systems.
>
> mark
> --
> edwards@vms.macc.wisc.edu
> UW-Madison, 1210 West Dayton St., Madison WI 53706
I doubt it. The educational system is in the fix that it is in because people
stopped giving a damn. When people stop giving a damn about their children's
education and paying attention to quality teaching. The whole system is
bound to collapse. Teachers are rewarded for staying on the job as opposed to
quality teaching. [God only knows how we are to objectively determine what
is quality teaching. No smiley]
I have three uncles who teach high school mathematics and computer related
"stuff" (I hesitate calling it Computer Science) They have no incentive
to develop further professionally. There is no pay raise in their future
just because they know more about the discipline. Since they are coaches
as well, chances are they get more community support for their basketball
teams than successes at regional math contests.
If you want to pour money into the lower educational systems fine. It should
go to equipment needs (or improving them) and supporting continuing education
for teachers.
The reasoning for a "trade" between research money for more money in lower
level educational systems is unclear to me. Speaking of which, if this posting
is unclear or disjointed it is because it has been a long week and it's near
1am.
-Tom
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Tom Hausmann Dept. of Computer Sciences Purdue University
tlh@mordred.cs.purdue.edu | My ideas? There has never been an original
...!purdue!tlh | thought since Plato.