Parent protests harmless physics demonstration; teacher and school under investigation
By jarespond - Posted on May 26th, 2006
I've always been interested in preserving the right of individuals to express their opinion on a given topic without suppression from either the government or from elitists who are only interested in hearing certain, pre-approved thoughts. I don't believe that there is a level at which freedom of expression should be stifled, except in a case where it will provide for an immediate physical danger. But this story, revealed by Channel 13 News in Mill Valey, California, demonstrates the equally dangerous effects of taking the opinions of an uneducated person seriously in an area where education is relevant.
To summarize, for those of you who are not interested in reading the source story, a physics teacher has long been conducting an experiment in his classroom that involves firing a carbine rifle into a block of wood (and having students measure the movement in the wood to determine the velocity of the bullet). Now let me stop you for a moment. If your reaction to that description was one of fear, then I urge you to educate yourself further about physics before reading on. Here is a link: Basic Physics.
A parent (obviously one who knows relatively little, if anything, about the principles of physics) complained about the experiment, and now the teacher, as the news station has so cleverly noted, has come "under fire." Although I have not read the parent's complaint, I can imagine that the content can be summarized as something like "I don't know anything about this experiment, but I don't like guns, and so I'm complaining because guns are always dangerous, regardless of the circumstances."
Parents don't like it when teachers tell them how to raise their children, and this is a fair complaint, even considering the fact that teachers can be parents too. So I don't understand why a parent thinks that he or she should have the authority to dictate the actions of a teacher who instructs a scientific subject about which the parent doesn't know.
Listed in the comments for the original story is this paragraph by "Terry G," which summarizes my opinion accurately:
"And once again society reaches for the lowest common denominator. A teacher comes up with a safe, effective way to demonstrate physics to students and teach them about gun safety, and a single disgruntled parent results in untold waste of governmental resources to give vent to their twisted view of the world. The school district should politely, but firmly, tell the parent to take a hike."
The parent should be free to express his or her opinion, but should have been immediately told, after a brief look into the situation, that the physics teacher should be allowed to teach physics. End of story.
If those parents have sent their children to a public school to be educated, then they should be satisfied with the education their children are getting. Instead of complaining about the school, if they want to change things, they should take their children out of the school and enroll them in a private school--or better yet, teach them yourselves.
~CallieV
There has to be a private school around to enroll them in.
Which would solve the problem!!!
Its one parent. in that circumstance on stupid parent can change schools and everybody still gets to learn.
If it was a real situation more parents would change schools and the pain would be felt by the school
Carl and Callie, You two are totally off topic, but I'll take the bait.
a) Exactly what "problem" are you talking about?
b) If there is a problem, how would enrolling in private school solve it?
c) If there is a problem, why should parents "be satisfied" and not try to solve the problem?
d) Private schools cost money. What if you can't pay for private school?
Private schools are not necessarily any better than public schools, and students and parents not only have a right, they have a duty to work with schools to make sure they provide a good education for everyone.
That said, I agree with jarespond that this case is much ado about nothing.
The problem we are addressing is the one you addressed.
Having competition for the public school would alleviate the problem of stupid parents. Those parents could just yank their kids out of school and put them in another one, and the other kids could go on following the teachers demonstration.
it would solve other problems aswell.
For instance if the demonstration is dangerous, surely the intelligent parents will try to change schools aswell. if you've ever tried to get out of a public school- they don't like it. So if everyone transfers to a different school over that issue the school will solve the problem.
And I promote charter schools for that reason. A charter school being a school that accepts public money but is free of the government controls. This promotes competition, which promotes better services. which is this case promotes better education and/or safer physics deomonstrations if its really that disturbing to the parents.
I assume no one has ever been harmed through this and that the teacher knows what they were doing. This person is complaing because a teacher thought up a hands on activity to teach.
But the teacher is firing a gun? Is this in class? I dont understand.
I have to say that I'm with the parent, and I'm very surprised more parents have not come forward and sooner. Firing a gun indoors in a classroom full of children, whether they are standing behind you or not, is ill advised, to say the least. Not to mention that the action is both illegal (wreckless discharge of a firearm) and against school policy (no guns on campus without written approval by the superintendent).