@ZalophuszJaponicus >who has never used Linux
Trisquel is a distribution of the GNU OS, so using it is using GNU.
It happens to use GNU Linux-libre as the kernel, but that's irrelevant when it comes to beginner user operations.

>trying to make a first grader love math by teaching him linear algebra.
Have you even used Trisquel?

It has a GUI that's easier to use than windows, plus it has a collection of useful and easy to use GUI programs out of the box.

I guess I should start recommending GNU/Hurd to beginners instead.