[OT] Colonial educational and justice systems, with rant.

--- Brian Bilderback <bbilderback@hotmail.com> wrote:

> >Roads are incredibly expensive to build and
> maintain.  Is there any
> >reason not to use GEVs instead?
> 
> Make-work.  Think WPA in the USA in the 1930's.

Also expense and ease of maintinence.  Oh, and fuel
costs.

> Not to mention that not ALL the kids will need a
> bachelor's degree -- on a 
> colony world, there will be plenty of opportunities
> to make a life for 
> yourself at any educational level.  Home schoolong
> will help

NRE's educational opinions are colored by the fact
that I'm young enough to remember high school and
cynical enough to consider it 4 years of imprisionment
for the crime of puberty.  A more seamless and
primarily computer- and datanet-driven education that
cuts out the mindless makework and actually teaches
something useful (the only high school course that
taught anything I didn't know prior to walking in the
door and that I still use on a regular basis was a
typing course.	That will be a mandatory part of
elementary school.)  It'll be neither mandatory nor
expensive to take any course listed on the planetary
datanets.  Here's the kicker--both the parent(s) and
the student have to agree on a course schedule.  The
"educational system" consisting of underqualified
idiots feeding at the public trough[1] will be
stripped down to a handful of advisors who will
function more like counsellors--providing information
on what is available, what is required for employment
in certain fields, and making reccomendations for
modification of study programs based on performance. 
Human tutors are available--but before you can legally
charge money for educational services in the NRE, you
have to actually have a degree in the subject in
question (no such thing as an "Education" major trying
to teach physics) _and_ have demonstrated proficiency
in the field by at least 5 years employment in the
private sector.  

The function of preventing juvenile delinquiency is
assumed by the police and courts, where it belongs. 
The NRE doesn't have a juvenile justice system--it
nails child offenders to the wall[2].  And the fact
that the parents/guardians of a juvenile who commits a
crime more serious than speeding are considered guilty
of child neglect.  But then, I'm pretty torqued at the
modern American method of child raising--depend on
television and movies and school teachers[1] to do
everything while spending less than an hour a week
(you think I'm joking, check the statistics) actually
communicating with their progeny. 

I'm assuming that the datanet will be one of the first
pieces of infrastructure put into place in a colony,
just after the food distribution networks.  

and if we 
> assume/PHB our way into the setting where large
> farms and ranches are 
> established not because it takes that much space to
> grow food, but because 
> that much land is a reward for going to the new
> colony, then kids raised on 
> those farms will learn how to run them hands-on.

Yeah, but those large farms/ranches are going to have
to deal with a lot of issues not faced by modern
farmers/ranchers.  Genemodding crops, robot
maintinence and programming, etc.  Xenoagricultural
Studies bachelor degrees may be required for
supervisory positions, and running a farm may require
a PhD.

John  

[1]I had maybe half a dozen teachers in high school
that were bright enough to hold a conversation with. 
The rest epitomized the adage that those who can't do,
teach.
[2]Figuratively.  Crucifiction is not permitted under
NRE law.  Beheading is the preferred method of
execution except for particularly heinous offenses
(treason[3], espionage, being a member of Amnesty
International, etc).  Those we impale.
[3]Defined as "Making War against the Roman People or
interfering with the legitemate sucession of the
Emperor of the Romans."

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