SABOTAGING SCIENCE TEACHING IN SILICON VALLEY

Performing the classic chemistry demonstration of burning a magnesium ribbon has gotten a chemistry teacher charged with UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT. This will have a CHILLING EFFECT on the teaching of science.

One of the teacher's students disobeyed instructions by looking directly at the BRIGHT burning magnesium ribbon. Afterwards she suffered from severe "internet medical info syndrome". Of course, NO injury actually happened as the light burned too briefly and she was over 6 feet away. Not understanding either physics or chemistry, a school official panicked. Other chemistry teachers explained, the accused teacher explained, but the school proceeded with their charges of unprofessional conduct.

WHY?

IMHO, the school wanted the chemistry teacher to stop bothering them with complaints about his overcrowded classroom (24 lab stations, often over 28 students assigned to the class). Worse, he complained about students in his class who did not know enough math to line up decimal points in order to add up numbers. (Trust me, it is impossible to learn chemistry if you can not do basic math.) He was also concerned that disruptive students could injure themselves and others as teaching chemistry involves using substances that could injure if not used correctly.

And you were wondering WHY the schools were unable to teach science?

You take your kids out of the regular classroom and put them in charter or private school so no one is monitoring what goes on in regular classrooms. You think your school is better. It is only better because all of the parents CARE about their child's education and the charter/private schools can expel disruptive students.

But the San Jose Unified School District seems to prefer to "shoot the messenger", especially if that messenger is a chemistry teacher.