School Issue Regarding Science Class/WWYD?--Update #51

[addicted_to_WDW]

Don't want to get into a debate about public vs. private. That varies by area. Suffice it to say, I've had two kids who have done a mix of both public and private and, in our area/county/region, the private school wins everytime much to my bank account's chagrin!

Christine, aren't you in Fairfax? Not exactly shabby schools!

 

[Christine]

www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v14/i2/vestigial.asp

Vestigial organs have been used to support evolution in the past. It seems reasonable that she would use them to support evidence for a creator.

I'd take her a box of gloves for experiments.

Your son can read the first three chapters on his own and discuss them with you. Just like a government school student learns about creation from other sources, you child is free to learn anything he wants outside her classroom.

I would only agree with you on this point IF the school was upfront that they were not going to teach this and I went into the school knowing this (as one does with public school and Creationism). Public school does not teach religion and that is pretty well known. Catholic School does teach evolution and, last time I checked, was supposed to.

I will probably end up taking this higher but as another said, I will tread lightly because my son really must stay at this school.

 

[Christine]

Christine, aren't you in Fairfax? Not exactly shabby schools!

No, I am in Prince William County and the school my son is zoned for for middle school is HORRENDOUS. My DD spent a few months there and we had to take her out because of terrible gangs, daily crime, and well I could go on and on. The school has now progressed to a predominant ESL school.

 

[Pigeon]

I agree. A private education is not always better than a public one, and often it is inferior due to issues just like this one.

Amen. I find it really hard to believe that there are no other educational options.

Don't plan on bringing up this issue at back to school night. There won't be time, and it's not the appropriate place for individual concerns. Make an appointment with the teacher and do it then.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

No, I am in Prince William County and the school my son is zoned for for middle school is HORRENDOUS. My DD spent a few months there and we had to take her out because of terrible gangs, daily crime, and well I could go on and on. The school has now progressed to a predominant ESL school.

Ah, that explains it!

I live in Montgomery County, but not in the nice wealthy part. The middle school my son was zoned for stinks too, so I pulled some strings and he's going to a better one.

 

[Hedy]

It stinks, but one reason why I might consider dealing with it is that I presume next year your son will be applying to high school, and I'd worry about you battling the vp on this effecting his reccomendations.

Are there really no other private school options in your area?

 

[Christine]

Amen. I find it really hard to believe that there are no other educational options.

Don't plan on bringing up this issue at back to school night. There won't be time, and it's not the appropriate place for individual concerns. Make an appointment with the teacher and do it then.

Well, believe it. He has one other option and that is a terrible middle school that, really, no one will hardly send their kids to if they can "buy" their way out. Most of the kids in my son's school are in the middle school part of the private school *because* of this terrible public middle school. My son attended public school up until 4th grade and was moved into private school knowing that we had to deal with this middle school issue. My DD went to public all the way to this middle school and was then pulled out and switched to private school. So, it's not like I *want* to deal with this.

My only other option is to lie about my address so that my children can go to a better public school but I was pretty much raked over the coals here on the DIS a few months ago for even mentioning such a thing.

I also don't think ripping your kid out of a school for one issue is a solution. If I did that, I'd probably find different issues somewhere else. I do believe in changing schools when there is an all-over system failure. Considering I've had good luck with this school for the past 6 years, I'm not ready to beat up on the private school system yet. I've done both (public and private) so I think I can see each one's flaws more clearly than those who've only stayed in one school system.

As for back to school night, I didn't intend to confront the woman in front of 30 parents; however, I will be extremely interested in hearing how she presents her "special" curriculum to the parents. And I don't think there would be anything wrong with asking a respectful question if the opportunity presents itself.

 

[Christine]

It stinks, but one reason why I might consider dealing with it is that I presume next year your son will be applying to high school, and I'd worry about you battling the vp on this effecting his reccomendations.

Are there really no other private school options in your area?

There is only one other school that I could get him into and it is what I would call a "severe" Christian school and I don't think I could handle it.

 

[java]

I would be talking with the teacher.
While in theory I would say don't go over her head to start. I think this might be a more program based concern. If it was school policy to not teach it wouldn't they have used a different text book.

Now when I was in Catholic School many many years ago- I remember one Nun Sister Norbert. On the first day of 5th grade we took out our textbooks, with tape and construction paper. She made us go through our books with her and cover up the offending passages! It was only one year though and I wasn't scarred for life and I have some great stories from that year.

It was the bicentenial. For excercise she decided that we would do the Hokey Pokey everyday after lunch- while waving 2 small american flags. She played the song (a 45) on an old record player. And if she felt we were bad she would put it on 78! Speeding up the whole thing to a ridiculous speed and we would have to keep up- Get a visual people- 35 11 year olds in uniform waving tiny american flags at the speed of light.

 

[Christine]

Now when I was in Catholic School many many years ago- I remember one Nun Sister Norbert. On the first day of 5th grade we took out our textbooks, with tape and construction paper. She made us go through our books with her and cover up the offending passages! It was only one year though and I wasn't scarred for life and I have some great stories from that year.

Sister Norbert. What a name, huh?

You are correct in that my son won't be scarred for life. I'm really not even concerned about him. He knows the material and he will learn it next year with a new teacher, and again through 4 years of high school.

I suppose my issue is with the way the teacher approached it. She almost has an "ax to grind" attitude. Instead of quietly ignoring the evolution chapters and just not addressing it, it appears on the first full day of class, she stepped up on her proverbial soapbox and preached about it. By using the word "garbage" several times and then refuting the actual evidence of evolution, she seemed to be preaching her own agenda. THAT is the part that really gets me and has got me so spun up that I swear my heart is beating to fast! To be truthful, *if* this is all true, I want her fired. There is no place in ANY classroom for that nonsense.

But again, I must wait to hear more from a few other parents before I make up my mind what action I will take. I'm certainly not going to go spouting off just based on what my son thinks he heard and I need to calm down a bit and leason to some voices of reason!

 

[punkin]

Ah, that explains it!

I live in Montgomery County, but not in the nice wealthy part. The middle school my son was zoned for stinks too, so I pulled some strings and he's going to a better one.

OT.

I'm in the nice wealthy part and I think our middle school STINKS. Luckily DD only spent one year there. Her High School is much better.

I think there are very few good middle schools anywhere.

OP, you need to inform the principal and since it is a Catholic school, you have recourse to the main education office. Good Luck.

 

[Virgo10]

My biggest concern would be... what else will she be leaving out because of her personal beliefs?

 

[Christine]

OT.

I'm in the nice wealthy part and I think our middle school STINKS. Luckily DD only spent one year there. Her High School is much better.

I agree, most middle schools are terrible. But, in my county we actually have two middle schools that aren't that bad and get good ratings. I've talked to a few parents whose children attend these schools and, overall, they have been pleased with them (as much as you can be with a middle school).

I am zoned for, notably, the worst middle school in my entire county. I am not exaggerating. I have a family friend who works in the school office in another county middle school who warned me a long time ago to not send my kids to that school because it is SOO bad. She reads all the incident reports at all the middle schools and says that this one is bad. All the middle schools in our area have a "visiting" police officer who works in each school about two days a week. This particular school was so bad that they had to have two full-time police officers permanently posted to that school.

There are rampant sexual assaults in the school, horrible racial issues, and with our recent, huge influx of immigrants (who live all around this school), it has made matters even worse.

Believe it or not, I live in a nice neighborhood but for some reason we are sent to this school, even though we are much closer to another middle school.

I tried everything to get my DD into a different county middle school and I could not do it. So she did attend that school for a short time. For the semester she was there she made straight A's without cracking a book, she was harrassed daily. My next door neighbor, a few years later, went and "sat in" at that school all day and was appalled by what was going on. She said the kids didn't even care that an adult was around. They continued with their "crimes" right in front of her. Needless to say, her daughter was pulled out of that school and put in private 2 weeks later.

 

[BoyLovesBuzz]

It sounds to me this teacher is doing some curriculum adaptation on her own. In every Catholic school I have seen, the curriculum is developed either by a committee at the school, or handed down by a Catholic Schools organization, which the name now escapes me. Either way, its not left up to the teachers what they choose to teach.

I would talk to the teacher and verify your son's story. If its accurate, speak to an administrator, and inquire as to 7th grade curriculum or Standard Course of Study. This can be done in non-combative way, as every parent has a right to know what the objectives are for the year in all subjects. This will tell you if its the schools poistion or the teachers. Only with this informmation can you make an informed decisions on what to do next.

 

[Christine]

If its accurate, speak to an administrator, and inquire as to 7th grade curriculum or Standard Course of Study. This can be done in non-combative way, as every parent has a right to know what the objectives are for the year in all subjects. This will tell you if its the schools poistion or the teachers. Only with this informmation can you make an informed decisions on what to do next.

Well, if anyone is interested: here is a link to my son's textbook. You can see, by looking at units 1-3, what she is skipping over.

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/lep_science/life_science/index.html#

Now, here is a link to our Diocese's science curriculum. Go to page 22 to see what should be taught in the 7th grade Life Science's unit. It seems like she is cutting this out.

http://205.242.12.144/offices/schools/documents/SCIENCEGUIDELINESRevised2006.pdf

 

[nut4disney]

Well, if anyone is interested: here is a link to my son's textbook. You can see, by looking at units 1-3, what she is skipping over.

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/lep_science/life_science/index.html#

Now, here is a link to our Diocese's science curriculum. Go to page 22 to see what should be taught in the 7th grade Life Science's unit. It seems like she is cutting this out.

http://205.242.12.144/offices/schools/documents/SCIENCEGUIDELINESRevised2006.pdf

Document everything and take it to your Bishop in person. I betcha he won't tolerate a blatent disregard for the Catholic Church's teachings. I know I wouldn't if I was a Bishop.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Always give the teacher a chance to address your concerns first. You can find out the context that she said them in, and you can let her know that what goes on in the classroom doesn't always stay in the classroom- something she may not be aware of yet. Give her a chance to change her tune before you go over her head.

 

[Christine]

Always give the teacher a chance to address your concerns first. You can find out the context that she said them in, and you can let her know that what goes on in the classroom doesn't always stay in the classroom- something she may not be aware of yet. Give her a chance to change her tune before you go over her head.

You bet! I wouldn't do that because I wouldn't like it done to me. Right now, I'm still looking for a bit more confirmation of what my son said. Once I find that out, I am going to address it with her directly.

 

[Deb in IA]

Well, if anyone is interested: here is a link to my son's textbook. You can see, by looking at units 1-3, what she is skipping over.

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/lep_science/life_science/index.html#

Now, here is a link to our Diocese's science curriculum. Go to page 22 to see what should be taught in the 7th grade Life Science's unit. It seems like she is cutting this out.

http://205.242.12.144/offices/schools/documents/SCIENCEGUIDELINESRevised2006.pdf

I think your investigation of the documented science curriculum is a very powerful tool. I would point out to both the teacher and the principal Objective 7.4, and emphasize to the science teacher, that regardless of whether he/she personally believes in this, it IS in the required curriculum:

7.4 The student will investigate and understand that organisms change over time.
Concepts include:
a) the relationships of mutation, adaptation, natural selection, and extinction;
b) evidence of evolution of different species in the fossil record; and
c) how environmental influences, as well as genetic variation, can lead to
diversity of organisms.

By the way, we are in a similar situation. We are not Roman Catholic, but our children have attended the Catholic school since kindergarten. I know our DD studied evolution/adaptation last year in 10th grade Biology. And I also know that her Religion teacher told us during Back to School night, "I don't teach evolution. I don't believe in it, and I won't endorse it. I believe that our Creator made the earth and all its inhabitants exactly as they are now."

And I do think that providing the teacher with a couple of boxes of latex-free gloves is a great idea.

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7 to 12 $25.40 $2.54

 

[Christine]

And I also know that her Religion teacher told us during Back to School night, "I don't teach evolution. I don't believe in it, and I won't endorse it. I believe that our Creator made the earth and all its inhabitants exactly as they are now."

Which is, I suppose, okay for a Religion teacher but I do get a little "confused" when it goes against what even the higher authority of the Catholic Church agrees to be the truth. As far as I know, the Catholic Church no longer believes in the literal Adam and Eve story.