RE: ShopTalk: Not Golf - Independence Day Test

[Mark A Patton]

Boy I shouldn't do this BUT,,,,   I just had another "education of facts" meeting at the school the other day, as well as my grandmother passed away today. I am running out of relatives.   When I referenced " supplement their education."   I find myself doing this more each day. I use the word supplement to in order describe the "replacement" of incorrect teachings. I would hate to tell you the things they have taught my children and have verified that my children did not mis-understand the teachers. For instance, my daughter came home last year between the 2nd and 3rd hurricanes and said that " hurricanes reverse their direction, thats why wind blows the other way." I noted that her statement at best was partially correct in observation, but not correct at all in fact. Well she noted "that was what the teacher said", then presented me with the notes from the board. Well after visiting the teacher, his comments were, "That is what I said, for all practical purposes it is true."  I then QUICKLY noted, if someone took this to heart and believed it, knowing that they were South of their friends who had a storm heading from the North, and that their friends experienced and told them of winds from the North, then from the South, would they presume the storm turned 180* and was no longer heading at them. I asked him then to SPECIFICALLY describe the events regarding hurricane wind directions. (Hell this was broadcasted pretty much 24X7 on the TV at this time). After he stammered for a minute or 2 not really saying much, but coughing QUITE a bit, I paused him and said PLEASE do not inform my daughter about things you know nothing of.  In this case if I had not interceded, your lack of common sense and knowledge professed as practical academia purposes would have equiped my daughter to offer Life Threatening advice to her friends and family. I have had 2 other instances with this teacher, as well as some others; and this is at a school that is ranked top in the state. Currently the above referenced teacher is teaching no longer .   Please do not get me wrong, I love teachers, but it seems a fair portion are on their own "stupification" journey and miss the many valid points of knowledge as they have no concept of their own.   Every year in primary and secondary education I have asked my children's teachers to explain and/or prove 1 of the following 3 items (and I asked the item most closely aligned with their subject matter).   1. Why 2+2 = 4 2. Why is the sky blue 3. Who lives at 221B Baker St   Number 1 is answered correctly most often, but only 75% of the teachers were able to construct a theorem to prove it. Number 2 is answered incorrectly 67% of the time. Number 3 is answered incorrectly 50% of the time. Funny thing is, teachers of 19th century British Literature are actually worse as I have kept a list of them separately and 3 out of the 4 have answered wrong. Hmm, as you specialize more you actually know less about what it is you are suppose to know?   Sorry to rant and rave, but I needed an outlet tonight.       Mark A Patton [EMAIL PROTECTED]