[geeks] New Tech Schools: Digital Harbor in Baltimore

[Brian Dunbar]

Mike Hebel wrote:
> In a fit of angst Lionel Peterson gargled the following:
>>> From: der Mouse <mouse at Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA>
>>> Date: 2007/04/13 Fri AM 03:20:32 CDT
>>> To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
>>> Subject: Re: [geeks] New Tech Schools: Digital Harbor in Baltimore
>>>> NCLB had a purpose, and it was well intentioned, but it focused too
>>>> much on those with profound needs, ignoring those that have profound
>>>> abilities.
>>> Profound abilities quite often *produce* profound needs.
>> Exactly - problem is, schools won't get sued for ignoring those with
>> special abilities, but they WILL get sued for ignoring those with special
>> needs.
> 
> <whine>
> "But if we set them apart from the rest then it will offend the other kids!"
> </whine>
> 
> I'm still reminded of the old SciFi story that I can't recall the
> name/author of at the moment.  In it everybody was handicapped to the
> point of being equal.  The main character of the story for instance had an
> earpiece that made loud random noises into his ear so he couldn't use his
> higher-than-average intelligence to be better than anyone else.


Harrison Bergeron
by Kurt Vonnegut (1961)

http://instruct.westvalley.edu/lafave/hb.html

<snip>
Some things about living still werenbt quite right, though. April, for
instance, still drove people crazy by not being springtime. And it was
in that clammy month that the H-G men took George and Hazel Bergeronbs
fourteen-year-old son, Harrison, away.


It was tragic, all right, but George and Hazel couldnbt think about it
very hard. Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she
couldnbt think about anything except in short bursts. And George, while
his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental handicap
radio in his ear. He was required by law to wear it at all times. It was
tuned to a government transmitter. Every twenty seconds or so, the
transmitter would send out some sharp noise to keep people like George
from taking unfair advantage of their brains.
<snip>


Hunh - George's radio could be email.

-- 
Brian Dunbar
System Administrator
Liftport - The Space Elevator Company

brian.dunbar at liftport.com
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Any other form of existence doesn't interest me.

Hugh Macleod