Is our science education this poor?

Question

I seem to remember having a fairly good science education when I was in high school. Is this not a common experience within the US school system or something?

Forget evolution for now... after all, how can we expect anyone to understand evolution when they don't understand simple taxonomy?

Quote -

"NO it is not an animal product. It was created by a bee which is a bug. Not an animal. I have no idea why these people think that a poor little honey bee is an animal but my biology teacher would have a COW!"

Yes. Yes, he or she would indeed...

Honey Bee -

Domain - Eukaryota
Kingdom - ANIMALIA (<--- ding ding ding)
Phylum - Anthrpoda
Class - Insecta
Order - Hymenoptera
Family - Apidae
Genus - Apis
Species - One of several

Answer 1

Yes, it's very sad, isn't it? And very irritating -- and frightening. On the bright side, I was delighted with your presentation, and with your indignation about that pathetic student quote.

I feel strongly that if Americans'--maybe the world's--science knowledge and understanding were much better, so would America--or the world--be. It's just that simple. As it is, we have to deal with dolts who couldn't care less about how the world works, and have no understanding of it. From the lazy student (as the teacher mentioned) all the way up to our current President, science is treated with shameful disrespect and disregard. The disgusting popularity of pseudosciences like astrology, and the blind belief in Intelligent Design are clear evidence of a science- and reason-starved culture.

Astonishingly, the people who claim to "know" things or to seek the truth fail to credit science as the best tool we have for learning and understanding the truth about almost anything.

Like you, I recall having a pretty good science education. Remarkably, that took place (in the first several grades) in a Catholic school. But whether the teachers or the students are to blame, today appears to be a different story. A dark, sad, scary story. I sincerely fear it could end in another Dark Ages.

One doesn't have to look far to see the signs: the "news" shows on TV, the Internet (including Yahoo! Answers) and our popular periodicals are chock-full of inane garbage, falsehoods, emotion-guided beliefs, mindless trivia, gullibility, and sloppy reasoning and reporting.

I wonder if the student who thinks their teacher would have a cow realizes that the *teacher* is an animal... or, hell, that the cow is.

None of this surprises me in a culture whose media spends more time -- far more -- on Anna Nicole than on Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity {grrrrrr} or even on global warming... whose people think evolution states humans are descendants of apes... and who elected a president who not only can't pronounce NUCLE-AR but who gives only passing lip-service to the importance of science in our world. (He apparently dismisses the notion that it has any importance in policy-making.)

Appalling. Thanks for caring enough to raise awareness.

Answer 2

Why do people keep saying schools are poorly funded ? The us spends more per student than any other country, other than the netherlands. The US spends 40% more than the number 3 and 4 countries, canada and france. So obviously funding is not an issue. Why are schools doing so badly ? because in the US, we have turned them into social labratories and gotten away from teaching reading, writing , math and science. They would rather teach about bob and tom being good parents But the real reason schools do so bad. The Parents just don't care, they expect the schools to handle their childrens educations. Youever look at just how few people vote in a school board election ?

Answer 3

Far too many parents complain endlessly about the education their children receive. Yet, they show nothing but hostility toward that very same education when it doesn't conform to their ideological beliefs. I've actually heard people wonder why the US is slipping behind the rest of the world in science, math and literature. Is it any wonder? Having taught literature myself, I can tell you that religion is destroying the American educational system and the test scores back me up.

Answer 4

Ouch! I think the quality of education depends a lot on where you are - red or blue state.

I went to school in Wyoming. One of the questions on a HS biology test was "Explain why evolution is wrong." (The teacher was an elder in my church.) I live in godless Washington state now and the science classes in HS are demanding enough to count as double-credit at the local community college :)

Answer 5

I got this a couple of days ago:

"I respsect your right to disagree with me. I hope to continue to learn about this issue but everything I 've been taught points to the fallacy of the theory. The bottom line for me is the fact that it is totally illogical. Nothing about Evolution has ever made sense. In spite of all the archealogical digs, not one transitional form exists. That itself should be enough to put this issue to rest."

Answer 6

Back when mine were in school I would read some of the text books. I almost always found at least one mistake in the first chapter of science and history texts. No wonder so many kids are misguided, unless parents are continually monitoring what they are taught.

Answer 7

I was shocked that the guy even needed to ask the question. It seemed pretty obvious to me.

I didn't see that answer. That you for showing the total lack of knowledge that people are willing to put on public display.

"It is always better to have no ideas than false ones; to believe nothing, than to believe what is wrong."
--Thomas Jefferson

Answer 8

The science education isn't poor. It is the students' motivation to learn and work. The majority (I don't say all, because many do put effort into their education) do not care to expand their knowledge.

Answer 9

If milk is an animal product, then bee spit is, too...=0)

Grrrrr at tony...

Answer 10

They get slips from their parents exempting them from science classes.