ID and me
When I was in seventh grade, the junior high science teacher was new to our school. He was super cute; everyone thought he was a student because he looked so young. The first day of class, he got about half way through his introduction before he had to stop because Marci was laughing so hard. He asked her what was up and, through uncontrollable giggles, she told him his fly was down. I’d never seen an authority figure turn so beet red. Poor guy.
A few months later, more comfortable in his position, he taught us our first biology lesson. It started like this: “Some ‘scientists’ think, get this, that life started when two cells bumped into each other in some swamp somewhere. Can you believe that? Isn’t that nuts?!” We all laughed and agreed that it was indeed silly. Dumb scientists. It wasn’t until much later that I realized he was a devout Christian and couldn’t bring himself to teach us about evolution. Maybe because my mom is so smart and worldly, I eventually learned about Darwin and fossils and our monkey-like ancestors. And, because I was raised Catholic, I got to see and appreciate the difference between the Adam & Eve story and the one Darwin set forth. And I had an amazing professor in college who firmly advocated that a story doesn’t have to be historically accurate to be “true.” But I wonder if some of my less fortunate junior high classmates still think it’s ridiculous that we could be the descendants of two cells “bumping into each other.”
I was reminded of this story when I read this today. As clever and funny (and correct) as his examples might be, this teacher is wrong to bring politics into the classroom, even if he thinks his students do understand that he’s being tongue in cheek. Chances are, at least a few of them aren’t yet wise enough to form their own opinions and shouldn’t have pre-formed ones handed to them in school.
I know this is a murky debate. At what point do we even feel safe calling “history” correct? When can we be comfortable teaching it to our students since we know it’s all a little flawed or biased? But I disagree with him giving spelling tests using examples with a liberal bent as much as I disagree with teaching Intelligent Design in school. Which is to say, a hella lot.
November 29th, 2005 at 12:36 pm
I dunno- sometimes I like it better when the bias is blantant. Seems like everyone’s learned to disguise their bias (left or right) under the pretense of objectivity in order to avoid actual confrontation. As a supporter of civilised intellectual argument, I say, let the bias out!
November 29th, 2005 at 12:37 pm
Caveat to previous comment: I do agree, though, that introducing bias in schools where students are expecting to learn information as “fact” is dangerous.
November 29th, 2005 at 2:09 pm
Ah, remember the good old days when conservatism meant restraint and common sense? Personally, I have no issue with intelligent design as a belief and frankly have no problem with it being brought up in the classroom. What I do have a problem with is teachers using it to shoot down biology in a science class. Intelligent Design is not science and those who say it is are being dishonest. Intellectually dishonest, spiritually dishonest…just plain dishonest.
However, what some people on both sides fail to see is that the culture wars should not be fought in the classroom. School is about helping kids become good critical thinkers, not slaves to a particular point of view.
Kids are smart. Present them with all points of view and let them make up their own minds.
August 15th, 2006 at 9:39 am
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