[geeks] Thoughts on IT work in public schools?

[Nathan Raymond]

Anyone with any experience working IT in public education?  I'm
contemplating it as a future career move, and I'd love to know more from
people's first-hand experiences.  This job would be managing the
infrastructure to four grammar/middle schools and a high school.

While I've done work in private education (my first paid job was IT work
for the prep school I went to many moons ago, and I did VAX and UNIX admin
work on the side during my computer science undergrad years, and I've done
some IT consulting for a few private schools recently), I have not dealt
first hand with a public school (and never went to one, either).  I'd
expect there to be a lot of politics, and potential budget issues.  I know
they tend to have unions as well.  Anything else I should be aware of, or
to look for?

- Nate