[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]

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.

[visualops]

OK, neither one of you paid attention to the post I responded to, or precisely what I said, which was:
If you want to make the argument that a bus driver shouldn't talk to the kids about anything but the weather, then do that, but don't make strawman arguments and misrepresent the facts of the incident.

Additionally, a statement of fact about embryonic stem cell research is not a Christian or right-wing comment or proselytizing, but a fact that supports the argument against embryonic stem cell research that is all. Facts do not have political agendas or values. They may or may not support a particular viewpoint, but if a [liberal] person doesn't like a fact because it exposes a lie, then that's their problem.

My issues with the incident are #1, it wasn't a "fireable" offense, #2 I see time and again uneven enforcement of these types of rules, #3 I do agree that stem cell research is beyond the understanding of most elementary school kids.