South Carolina, USA: In Hilton Head, a fourth-grade student is suspended for having the blade from a broken pencil sharpener in school, followed by a storm of outraged calls and emails to the school. In response, the principal wrote a letter of expla…..

I don’t think that I owe anyone an apology. There are certainly many teachers who are bright and altruistic. Some of them are even well educated. Many of them, however, are not. As Deoxy says, statistically, schools of education have lower requirements for admission than others. Education majors have lower averages in courses shared with others and are frequently offered special, easier courses since they do so poorly in the regular courses in the same subject. I have personally experienced this as an instructor and discussed it with others.

Secondly, regardless of their inherent ability, the curricula that teachers are required to take are mind-numbing. The BS level is very high and the exposure to important concepts limited. I have personal knowledge of the kind of education that teachers receive about linguistics and reading, for example, and it is generally pathetic.

In any case, I was talking specifically about administrators. Again, there are exceptions, but my experience is that those who go into administration tend not to be the best teachers and tend not to be the brightest and best in other respects.

Bill

It takes an awful lot of balls as an educator to insist that teachers are “not bright”.

Statistically speaking, teachers are the among “least bright” of people attending college – it is the “fall back” position for many, and it has the easiest requirements (in many cases).

That is not to say that any individual teacher is less intelligent, or that teachers are unimportant.

Indeed, it could easily be read as an indictment against the college/university system, that teaching degrees often have easier courses. I certainly consider it a flaw of the “higher education” system in this country (one flaw among many, sadly).

The “victim” would laugh in his face?

It takes an awful lot of balls as an educator to insist that teachers are “not bright”. I guess not everyone can be an MIT grad, but there are an awful lot of bright people who go in to education for a variety of reasons, including an altruistic desire to help society. Sadly the system in place punishes teachers for inaction when anyone remotely poses a minor threat, so they must overreact.

I think you owe an apology to educators everywhere for the ignorance of your statement.

Then he could have used a pencil. Or any of a dozen other common things in the school environment, most of which would make a BETTER weapon than a tiny bit of metal which one would have difficulty brandishing without cutting one’s self.

And if they didn’t have a “zero tolerance” policy (while acting as stupidly as if they did), then it’s actually even worse (didn’t think that was possible).

Of course, this still isn’t as bad as the kid who received similar treatment for having some nails in his backpack… not that I take any comfort in that.

Really? Where is the word “weapon” in the newspaper article?