On Tue, Aug 06, 2002 at 04:37:00PM -0400, Brother Timothy wrote:
<snip>
> I ask you guy's what harm is there in my spending $200 for my kid to sit in
> a classroom and learn something about Unix? If he can't pass the course,
> who is harmed? And finally, is this the way things are done around here
> all of the time?
>
> Joe Ryan
This is a lesson in two things: bureaucracy and economics. The economics
comes in where there is this limited resource and possibly greater
demand than supply. Thus, rationing takes over. Only college students.
Okay, maybe some high school students, but they have to turn cartwheels.
Etc. Is this rational? Depends on how pent up the demand is. In this
case, I doubt it. The bureaucracy comes in where "this is the way we
always do it, and I'm too chicken to stick my neck out and make an
exception." In 66 years, you've seen this before.
Are things different here than in Alaska? Most likely. From what I
understand, Alaskans have a greater sense of community and commonality.
Every other Alaskan is, to some extent, a kindred spirit, living as they
do at the top of the world. And I imagine they're more willing to make
exceptions and look at people on their merits. Down here in the lower
48, we're less connected with each other. The guy next door turns out to
be a serial rapist, and we're surprised because we never really got to
know him. Of course, never having been to Alaska, I could be way off
base. I had a friend who lived up there, and this is kinda what I got
from him.
I think most would agree that your son got a raw deal. Me, I would have
had you sign a waiver (just to CYA) that if your son turned out to be a
dismal student who dragged down the class, he would be history. Then
he'd be free to attend.
Paul
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