Getting school to let me use Ubuntu/Edubuntu

[Jengajam2]

I've always wanted to use Ubuntu (or Edubuntu) at school, and next quarter is computer classes. I really want to use Ubuntu/Edubuntu during times that don't require Windows (the computers either run 2000 or XP, and meet the specs for Ubuntu/Edubuntu to run smoothly. The main problem is our new teacher doesn't show that she knows much besides the best way to type and Office programs, and something tells me when I ask her, she'll not know what Linux is, yet alone Ubuntu/Edubuntu, though thats where my Ubuntu learning book comes in. Actually my old computer teacher (who is now the Network Administrator or whatever its called) is probably the only one who knows anything about Linux.
Does anyone have any tips that might help me convince them? note:I don't mind using live CD
(As of now, I can't reach the teacher besides E-mail because of my schedule, and I'm in middle school).

[SuperSonic4]

I'd go with the "it's free and broadening my knowledge" line, mentioning that it won't change the PC is a help too. If your new teacher is unsure you could ask the head of deparment

[in_flu_ence]

I think there are some presentation slides about what ubuntu is from the ubuntu community. Maybe you can present them to your teacher. I however don't see that you can benefit much from the class by challenging the use of linux if the class is tuned towards windows software. However, say, you are taught using M$ office, you can present two versions of the assignment from both M$office and OpenOffice. In that, you can compare yourself the user-friendliness as well as the intercompatibility. You will put up a better stand to present to your teacher about opensource softwares. Same goes to teaching about net surfing. You can present how much better firefox is compared with IE. That will be what I will do.

[DrOlaf]

Some of these links may have some presentations, or ideas, that may help you.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Presentations

San Diego school district rolls out laptops with Linux (http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=46376&CFID=10296655&CFTOKEN=11102765)

http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/

I like the idea of producing a document in OpenOffice, and also in MS Office, and comparing the two.

Good luck!

[cprofitt]

Not sure about your school... but...

Most teachers (and if your ex-teacher is now the sys admin that scares me) are not very tech savvy including the ones who teach technology classes.

The problem I would have as a sys admin would be that allowing you to boot from flash or cd would be a security breach as you could capture the SAM database and cached credentials. Likely your sys admin is not as secure as he should be and does not use a different account for domain administration and work station support so that would expose the entire domain.

Personally I would never allow it a live CD / USB stick to be used. I would much rather see the computer loaded with Ubuntu. I would not even allow a dual-boot machine.

[Crafty Kisses]

I've noticed that too. :)

[michaelbogardus]

This will do it:
The key is making a big fuss (http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/08/27/tech-quebec.html?ref=rss)