THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, December 27, 1994 TAG: 9412230033
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
What enlightened guidance can we expect next from Beverly Sgro, the state secretary of education?
Concerned that faculty members are spending too much time playing computer games and thus shortchanging taxpayers who pay their salaries, she's directed university professors to delete every game from every computer in their domains.
This from a top state official, appointed by a governor who preaches that government too often sticks its nose in private matters? Perhaps she should have added a reminder that, when they do use their computers for legitimate business, the profs should sit properly and position their hands correctly on keyboards so as to avoid injury, which could cost taxpayers money for medical-treatment.
How condescending that Sgro would take the complaints of a few anonymous calls from state workers and assume that faculty members are wasting time that should be spent on instruction, grading papers and other things that go with the job.
If department heads, the people who directly supervise the teachers, haven't acted out of concern that time is being wasted, why should university presidents get this micro-management directive?
Sure there are isolated instances of abuse, but how likely is it that, in a state where strains on education are ever increasing, an overwhelming number of professors are playing when they should be working? The same question applies to state employees, who got variations of the memo.
When abuses occur, they should be remedied - by the people who supervise the abusers, not by the education secretary of the commonwealth and other Cabinet officers. There are more important things for them to do, including figuring out how to improve the educational opportunities of Virginia's students.
Educators and others should be able to play computer games in their free time - providing, of course, they sit properly and avoid hand injuries. Ms. Sgro and her fellow Cabinet secretaries should sign off. by CNB