School Bus Driver Fired for Stem Cell Talk

Associated Press ^ | 12/2/04

[reportgirl73]

GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (AP) - An elementary school bus driver was fired after sharing a statistic she had read about embryonic stem cell research with students, then encouraging them to tell their parents about it.

[general_re]

She was NOT teaching, espousing, or otherwise promoting "moral values" or even an opinion. She made a statement of FACT.

Oh, well, that makes it okay then. How about when the bus driver says "Say, little Johnny - did you know that some men like to put their pee-pees in another man's bottom?"

After all, that's not an opinion, either - that's a fact. And who can deny that it's a fact? So obviously it's okay for the substitute bus driver to share that with the third-graders, right?

[the invisib1e hand]

I haven't been to Dunkin' Donuts yet. Try me a little later.

[dansangel]

:-)

Have one for me.

[OwnershipSociety]

You prove your arrogance and irrelevance by spouting off on something you know nothing about.

[OwnershipSociety]

A "good man" or "good woman" would not try and push their opinions on a captive audience of children now would they? It shows not a lick of common sense or civility.

Had I been a parent I would have confronted the bus driver about it.

[syriacus]

editor-surveyor: Heavens, we can't have bus drivers telling kids the truth!!!!

Almost makes you think the current state-anointed educators would have shunned Galileo, if he talked truthfully about stem cell research.

Ramming: political and religious discussions should be confined to a classroom setting

But, this is a science discussion. No?

[syriacus]

The bottom line here is the Bus Driver provided a sex education lesson to Elementary School children without the consent of their parents.

"Sex education"???????

[Amelia]

She said she only stated facts she considered age-appropriate and didn't share her opinions

Well, here's my problem: I don't think there is any way to explain the difference between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells without getting into subjects that I don't think are "age appropriate" for children as young as second grade.

For that reason, I think the bus driver showed very poor judgement. Whether or not she violated school board policy is another question, and it's difficult to tell because the school board is prohibited from releasing all the details on their side.

I agree with the posters who say the discussion was inappropriate for children of that age group, and also if we want freedom of speech to espouse Christian viewpoints to small children, we'll have to grant that same freedom to Muslims, athiests, Wiccans, and whoever else might want to proselytize.

[syriacus]

And Galileo (if he were alive today) should not tell the kids that the earth goes around the sun?

[general_re]

If we hire Marion Barry to drive the bus, should he tell the kids where to buy crack and how to smoke it? Those would be facts also, right?

[syriacus]

I don't think there is any way to explain the difference between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells

By first grade, the kids know the difference between live animals and dead animals, so start there.

Instead of saying

• "stem cells from an adult," vs.
• "stem cells from an embryo,"

just say

• "stems cells from an animal that is allowed to continue to live," and
• "stem cells from an animal that is killed to get the stem cells."

No sex discussion. No political discussion. No moral discussion. No religious discussion. Just the facts.

[syriacus]

If we hire Marion Barry to drive the bus, should he tell the kids where to buy crack and how to smoke it? Those would be facts also, right?

On a sunny day. can the bus driver say the sky only appears blue?

[general_re]

How about if the bus driver just keeps his hands on the wheel and his eyes on the road, and leaves the epistemology to others? ;)

[blackie]

Big Truth ~ Bump!

[syriacus]

How about if the bus driver just keeps his hands on the wheel and his eyes on the road, and leaves the epistemology to others? ;)

Do you mean "epistemology"? Or "Natural science"?

[kimmie7]

WOW

Forget driving a bus....get your darling wife a secluded desk and a contract with World Net Daily! She should at LEAST blog!!! I want a ping, soon, to her blog. Got it? This lady's got some serious talent.

Excellent article.

[general_re]

If we're discussing whether the sky is really blue, or just appears to be blue, then epistemology seems to be the appropriate discipline. Plenty of unemployed philosophy majors, if that's what we want our bus drivers to be doing ;)

[The Mayor]

I started her a page in my website..

http://www.RusThompson.com

Thank you for you kind words!

[Amelia]

By first grade, the kids know the difference between live animals and dead animals, so start there.

Why not just reserve the discussion for older students, or better yet, for adults who actually can actually vote and influence politicians?

[syriacus]

If we're discussing whether the sky is really blue, or just appears to be blue, then epistemology seems to be the appropriate discipline

Depends on your frame of reference.

Scientists know the basic principles that make the sky appear blue.

People opt to kid themselves about the current success-rate of embryonic stem cell research. Mother nature is not fooling them. They are fooling themselves.