Just Let Me Teach

Lately I have the feeling that everyone is out to sabotage anything slightly fun or interesting in my science curriculum. Don't worry, I'll catch you up.

It all started at the beginning of the year with our new room renovations. We've had lots of people snooping around (spying, I think) our classrooms and science storeroom. We have these heat lamps that we need for several labs. The purpose of the lamp is to heat up because the lamp represents our sun. We were told that these lamps are "illegal" because they get too hot.

"Are you kidding me?!?!"

Let me get this straight; a student can have an open flame on a Bunsen burner and be heating potentially toxic chemicals in questionable glassware, and they cannot use a heat lamp?

"They get too hot." Is what I was told.

Evidently a student burned themself on a lamp and now we are not allowed to use them. Please forgive me, but I just don't see the logic in taking a valuable tool away from so many children because one student got hurt! I'm not trying to be insensitive at all; I DO sympathize with any child who may have been hurt, although if we are going to start removing items from the school that hurt us, then here are some ideas I have on making our school a safer place...

We better get rid of all those scalpels in Life Science. "Here's your butter knife kids!" No no...we better just forget dissection, it's far too dangerous!

Uh-oh...Industrial Technology. We better eliminate all sharp objects; screwdrivers, saws, hammers and nails, and don't get me started on power tools! This is just a death trap! How can we allow this in our schools?

Yesterday I got a paper cut. I think we should ban all paper in schools; that would mean books too! Those are like a compilation of razor blades! We must ban all libraries as well! Not only are they sharp and dangerous, but it is also a fire hazard; let's face it, it is a giant room of kindling.

Oh, my goodness! I just realized that I am allowing my students to carry deadly weapons in my classroom! Oh-my, I've even handed them out before. Those sharp objects that you write with. What a catastrophe! We need to get rid of all of those writing utensils.

I kind of wish I could send this to those people who make some of these ridiculous decisions. Many of them are not teachers and never have been, nor will they ever be. It doesn't occur to them that there is so much more to teaching than a textbook. So for all those snoops, who sneak into my classroom and then tell me what I can and can't use, "Shut up and let me teach!"