PART 2
So all that stuff about J, all of that happened last week. Earlier this week I found him fussing about hairy armed environmentalists and how they want to protect the
S'OK. I asked him where he got that number. Did he get it from the US Geological Survey? Or did he hear it on AM radio? Perhaps the number came to him in a vision or maybe it popped out of his ass. Of course, I wasn't wondering out loud. What I actually said was, "OK well, bring in your source and we'll look into it."
But he didn't bring in a source today. No, instead he dropped the class. When I asked him why, he simply said it's "not my thing." Whatever.
4 Comments:
A sad story to be sure. I'm curious, is it just contrariness to environmentalism because it is so mainstream now? When I first studied the subject it was a hip and cool and new and a little contrary itself. It was an escape from math or history. It must be frustrating because it's their skin your trying to save. On the bright side, now you can direct your energies to the more willing participants in the class.
6/28/2008
I think it's a missed opportunity for him and the rest of your class. Everyone would have benefited had he stayed and put up a mature challenge to what was being taught. Honest debate is a great way to learn. It makes you aware of other's positions and lets you test your own. Or at the very least it could have led to some funny bl*g post. :)
6/30/2008
I hate to say it, but in some ways I'm not sorry he’s gone. Not because I’m afraid of polemics. On the contrary, I encourage debate and critical thinking. But I’d rather engage someone whose ideas come from the neocortex not the gut. I think one must accept the scientific method (and its limitations) if one is going to take a science class.
Let’s say I’m teaching the Pythagorean Theorem and someone stands up and shouts, “I reject your silly triangle theorem as liberal propaganda!” How should I respond? "Wow, good luck with that."
6/30/2008
"I’d rather engage someone whose ideas come from the neocortex not the gut"
I agree, that's why I try to stay away for discussing politics on my blog, too many feelings and not enough FACTS.
Hee hee, You're funny. Are you claiming that triangle theorem isn't liberal propaganda? lol
7/01/2008
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