"inconvenient truth" - assignment dilemma

[LilyM]

Well, my son is definitely NOT arrogant! What he is, though, is a schmoozer. People seem to be drawn to him, like him, and they can’t even say why. He is very polite and well-mannered while asserting his independent thoughts. He is also very self-confident. He definitely does not come across as a “know it all”. At the last parent-teacher conferences, I had several teachers tell me how impressed they were with his thought processes in various areas and with how he handles himself in different situations.

Uh-huh. Does he make a regular habit of intentionally NOT doing assignments as per instructions and then trying to justify himself only after the fact?

That’s totally the opposite of polite and well-mannered - it shows a lack of respect for the teacher. Polite and well-mannered is discussing his planned approach to the work with them before doing it. And going about things in any other way wouldn’t wash in any workplace I’ve ever been in.

What would you say if he turned up home late by two hours without giving you a phonecall - when he could easily have called you to let you know he’d be late and didn’t? Would his ‘schmoozing’ and arguing ability make up for his thoughtlessness?

He is very knowledgeable, but definitely not arrogant or stuck up. He just knows that not everyone is right about everything all of the time, including teachers!

Really? Telling his mother to butt out of his school life, from his vast wise old age of 13 sounds (I don’t say is, I say sounds) a bit of both, right there. I know my parents (rightly) wouldn’t have put up with me talking to them like that.

 

[lizaanne]

My kids attend a Catholic high school.

For the science class, they are watching in school Al Gore’s movie “An inconvenient truth”. Then for the assignment, they and their lab partner are to create a “public service announcement” regarding global warming.

So here’s the problem…my son and his partner have decided through their own research that global warming, while “maybe” possible is probably not man made. They both believe it is part of the general heating/cooling cycle that has happened over the millenia. They have quite a few sources they have found and have researched this quite well. They want to create an announcement that basically says global warming is a political tool and the data is questionable, so be critical of everything the mainstream media says.

How can they go about creating this “public service announcement” to appease the teacher while at the same time staying true to their own beliefs and own research without getting a lowered grade? My son says he is not worried about the lowered grade; he just wants to be truthful and present what they have found! (He is a straight A student, BTW).

Ah, the great dilemma of do you tell the teacher what he wants to hear to get the A, knowing what you really believe is nowhere near that, or do you tell the teacher what you really believe, risking a lowered grade?

I am pretty proud of my son and his lab partner, though! They have been busy boys!

Ok - I didn’t read five pages of this, but my two cents is that you never ever compromise your convictions or what you feel is right.

He should complete the project with what he has learned through his own research, be able to support his argument, and then sleep at night knowing he didn’t sell out.

~Liza

 

[kwitz]

My 2 cents - as a teacher, of science, in a Catholic school…

Have your son discuss things with the teacher directly. I personally dislike it when parents come running to me to solve their children’s problems before giving the student the chance to take care of it. I teach high school so take that into consideration.

Sounds to me like your son has a good handle on the situation. He wants to do what is right and appears to be willing to take any potential consequences.

Kris

 

[Catholic90]

Uh-huh. Does he make a regular habit of intentionally NOT doing assignments as per instructions and then trying to justify himself only after the fact?

Nope. Not at all. He is my rule follower. He just can’t stand compromising his beliefs!

That’s totally the opposite of polite and well-mannered - it shows a lack of respect for the teacher. Polite and well-mannered is discussing his planned approach to the work with them before doing it. And going about things in any other way wouldn’t wash in any workplace I’ve ever been in.

What would you say if he turned up home late by two hours without giving you a phonecall - when he could easily have called you to let you know he’d be late and didn’t? Would his ‘schmoozing’ and arguing ability make up for his thoughtlessness?

Maybe. Would depend on the situation. He has a cell phone though, and he texts and/or calls regularly.

Really? Telling his mother to butt out of his school life, from his vast wise old age of 13 sounds (I don’t say is, I say sounds) a bit of both, right there. I know my parents (rightly) wouldn’t have put up with me talking to them like that.

WHOA!!! He wants to handle it. He does not want a “helicopter parent” hovering around him, like some of his classmates, jumping into every aspect of their lives and solving all their problems. I want him to be able to handle it. Afterall, isn’t it my job to make him think critically, assess the situation, and formulate a plan? That is what he is doing.

FWIW, I work in an elementary school. I know I can’t stand it when parents contact me for something the child should be contacting me about. For example, if a child does not understand something, I expect s/he to contact me and ask for help (this is upper grades). I do NOT appreciate it when a PARENT contacts me and says, “Susie doesn’t understand this and would like you to explain it again.” WHY can’t Susie ask for help? Usually I know Susie’s voice works quite well, since she is the one always talking at inappropriate times.

I don’t appreciate the comments you’ve made about my son. You don’t even know him!

My 2 cents - as a teacher, of science, in a Catholic school…

Have your son discuss things with the teacher directly. I personally dislike it when parents come running to me to solve their children’s problems before giving the student the chance to take care of it. I teach high school so take that into consideration.

This is exactly how I am approaching this. My son will be discussing this with his teacher. HE will be doing the talking, NOT me! I see no reason for ME to get involved!

Sounds to me like your son has a good handle on the situation. **He wants to do what is right and appears to be willing to take any potential consequences. **
**Exactly! He has said he is not willing to lie about how he feels and what he feels is right. He has resources to back him up, and I think he will do a great job. **

---

Kris

The assignment is due in a few weeks. I’ll keep you posted.

 

[Catholic90]

Just FYI, the last information I had there were no articles in Peer Reviewed Journals stating what your son is trying to prove. There are some other people saying that but their “theories” don’t hold up to review by their scientific peers and thus they are only published in secular rather than scientific magazines.

It’s one thing to go against the teacher if you can prove them wrong but it’s another when you can’t. The evidence from all scientific circles is overwhelming. The only people who seems to disagree have ties to the Bush administration and even those people have backed off the past year or so.

People can listen to propaganda and believe whatever they want but proving that is something else. If your son and his friend believe they can prove it then this could be much bigger than a local assignment.

Not trying to be negative, it’s just facts are facts. Just because someone on the news says something or states that one scientist believes something doesn’t mean it’s a valid argument.

YOu are so right! There is no scientific evidence that global warming is man made. How much is from natural heating and cooling cycles? How much from volcanoes?

This global warming theory being manmade is full of propaganda, starting with the ‘inconvenient truth’, which is full of errors.

And I agree with the news…just because someone says something about global warming on the news being manmade does NOT make it a valid argument…yet all these supporters of global warming seem to buy this!

Personally, I am all for global warming. I am really tired of the temperature being -10 F every morning. Bring on the heat!

 

[Calliso]

While there are many naysayers on global warming, the overwhelming majority of environmental scientists believe that it is at least to some extent man-made. I point this out because it is probable that the science teacher won’t take this as disagreeing and healthy debate, but rather consider the evidence against global warming as “bad science.” Unlike a civics or english class, much of science, especially at a high school level, is more fact than opinion based.

Ultimately, I don’t think it really matters if global warming exists or not. Whether it is natural or man-made, it is likely irreversible (although if it is man-made, possibly we can slow the progression). Perhaps your son could talk about both sides of the issue, but ultimately explain why green technology is good regardless. It does reduce pollution, and pollution is bad for public health, regardless of whether it changes global climate patterns. Reducing dependence on fossil fuels makes America less dependent on other countries, some of whom aren’t the greatest of allies. Plus, it is an inevitable reality that fossil fuels are finite resources. So at some point, other forms of energy will be needed. I say better sooner than later.

So I would maybe put a little from both sides, but then recognize that ultimately we can find common ground because there are many other reasons to “go green.”

I agree with this…I a middle of the ground appoarch would work best.

 

[LilyM]

WHOA!!! He wants to handle it. He does not want a “helicopter parent” hovering around him, like some of his classmates, jumping into every aspect of their lives and solving all their problems. I want him to be able to handle it. Afterall, isn’t it my job to make him think critically, assess the situation, and formulate a plan? That is what he is doing.

FWIW, I work in an elementary school. I know I can’t stand it when parents contact me for something the child should be contacting me about. For example, if a child does not understand something, I expect s/he to contact me and ask for help (this is upper grades). I do NOT appreciate it when a PARENT contacts me and says, “Susie doesn’t understand this and would like you to explain it again.” WHY can’t Susie ask for help? Usually I know Susie’s voice works quite well, since she is the one always talking at inappropriate times.

Let’s back it up. I essentially agree with you. I’ve been saying all along precisely that HE should talk to his teacher, not you - but that he should be sure to do it ASAP. IE that if HE says ‘oh no, I’ll just do the assignment my way and discuss it with the teacher afterwards’ that you tell HIM that that’s not the best way to do it.

In answer to which you’ve been saying all along ‘no, no, no, he’s going to do it his way and I trust him, he’s a good arguer etc etc etc’. Which made it sound like HE was bound and determined to do it a different way - ie to just do the assignment as he wished without discussing it with the teacher beforehand, and that you were just laying down and letting him.

Point is, if you saw him heading a bike towards a cliff edge that he doesn’t know is there, you wouldn’t negotiate with him and let him keep going if he insisted, you’d MAKE him stop because otherwise he’s going to ride that bike straight off the cliff, no?

Sometimes parents do need to put on the brakes on a kid’s bright ideas when they know better than their children (which is 98% of the time). Like I said, it doesn’t mean you have to talk to the teacher, but you sure talk to him and exert your authority and MAKE him do things in the most sensible and effective way if it looks like he’s doing otherwise.

I’m sorry for misunderstanding, if I have misunderstood, but that’s sure the way it sounded.

I don’t appreciate the comments you’ve made about my son. You don’t even know him!

I know that he said, to quote you, ‘ABSOLUTELY NOT! Let me handle it my way’. I know how that sounds - like he was raising his voice to his own mother. Again, if he wasn’t then I apologise, but that’s how it sounds.

The assignment is due in a few weeks. I’ll keep you posted.

Sure - it’ll be interesting to see the outcome.

 

[elts1956]

I would go for the A, if it’s something as small as this, an A(on which sounds like a major project) is more important than your beliefs on the matter.

Dear Teen4Christ, aren’t you denying Dr. Seuss?

 

[elts1956]

I would go for the A, if it’s something as small as this, an A(on which sounds like a major project) is more important than your beliefs on the matter.

Ok - I didn’t read five pages of this, but my two cents is that you never ever compromise your convictions or what you feel is right.

He should complete the project with what he has learned through his own research, be able to support his argument, and then sleep at night knowing he didn’t sell out.

~Liza

My kids attend a Catholic high school.

For the science class, they are watching in school Al Gore’s movie “An inconvenient truth”. Then for the assignment, they and their lab partner are to create a “public service announcement” regarding global warming.

So here’s the problem…my son and his partner have decided through their own research that global warming, while “maybe” possible is probably not man made. They both believe it is part of the general heating/cooling cycle that has happened over the millenia. They have quite a few sources they have found and have researched this quite well. They want to create an announcement that basically says global warming is a political tool and the data is questionable, so be critical of everything the mainstream media says.

How can they go about creating this “public service announcement” to appease the teacher while at the same time staying true to their own beliefs and own research without getting a lowered grade? My son says he is not worried about the lowered grade; he just wants to be truthful and present what they have found! (He is a straight A student, BTW).

Ah, the great dilemma of do you tell the teacher what he wants to hear to get the A, knowing what you really believe is nowhere near that, or do you tell the teacher what you really believe, risking a lowered grade?

I am pretty proud of my son and his lab partner, though! They have been busy boys!

If he has the time to present, he could give both sides of the argument, then take a vote in the class to see which side is believed more. He would have to talk it over with his teacher first though, I think.

 

[Marycruz]

Catholic90:

YOu are so right! There is no scientific evidence that global warming is man made. How much is from natural heating and cooling cycles? How much from volcanoes?

This global warming theory being manmade is full of propaganda, starting with the ‘inconvenient truth’, which is full of errors.

And I agree with the news…just because someone says something about global warming on the news being manmade does NOT make it a valid argument…yet all these supporters of global warming seem to buy this!

Personally, I am all for global warming. I am really tired of the temperature being -10 F every morning. Bring on the heat!

Just wondering, are you serious or sarcastic? Because wanting global warming just so it can be warmer sounds like an inappropriate joke to me. Of course, for us northern countries, we’ll just get a warmer climate.

But what about the developing countries, who are already coping with poverty, famine, and disease? Desertification is the last thing that they need. The Sahara getting alarmingly larger, how long will it take until all agricultural land is completely desertified or salinized in Africa?

What about the people who live on islands like the Maldives, which have an maximum elevation of about 3-5meters? Every cm by which the ocean level rises is already a threat to their survival; they’ve already started building barriers. If the sea level continues rising at the current rate, they’ll soon be the first environmental refugees.

Global warming is real, man does contribute to it by emitting greenhouse gases, and human lives will be lost because of it if we don’t do anything so stop or at least slow it.

 

[Caesar517]

YOu are so right! There is no scientific evidence that global warming is man made. How much is from natural heating and cooling cycles? How much from volcanoes?

This global warming theory being manmade is full of propaganda, starting with the ‘inconvenient truth’, which is full of errors.

And I agree with the news…just because someone says something about global warming on the news being manmade does NOT make it a valid argument…yet all these supporters of global warming seem to buy this!

Personally, I am all for global warming. I am really tired of the temperature being -10 F every morning. Bring on the heat!

I heard from a news source yesterday that the polar ice caps that some have been lamenting over have reformed (as they do in winter) and are thicker than they have been in 15 years. I’ve also been hearing that the global temperature has actually been decreasing for the last five years. Go figure.

Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll be getting any global warming soon.

Global warming is real, man does contribute to it by emitting greenhouse gases, and human lives will be lost because of it if we don’t do anything so stop or at least slow it.

Now all you have to do is prove it.

 

[sanctamaria17]

Which news source is that?

Whether global warming is man-made or not, here are a few facts:

There is NO evidence that the destruction of our environment is caused by mere population.

Why is that?

It’s the people in the US and Europe (with low birthrates) who are using the most resources and waste the most.

The people in developing countries may have large families but a) they don’t have resources (well, natural ones, but little production/industry) and b) they have many kids because they know most of them will die and want at least one to survive.

I think the important argument that should be made is that whether global warming is man-made or not, we should be careful with our resources, reduce foreign dependence on oil, do our best not to waste, and most of all, share with our brothers and sisters who don’t have as much, rather than being driven by consumption.

 

[Caesar517]

Which news source is that?

It was on the radio, I think it was WBT. Here is a simple google search. I haven’t followed these links, but there seems to be plenty of information about it.

I think the important argument that should be made is that whether global warming is man-made or not, we should be careful with our resources, reduce foreign dependence on oil, do our best not to waste, and most of all, share with our brothers and sisters who don’t have as much, rather than being driven by consumption.

Do you mean “reduce dependence on foreign oil”?

 

[elts1956]

Not true natalie, but I respect your opinion.


It’s a small price to pay for an A IMHO. You go to school to learn and get good grades, not to debate

I guess the rules have changed since I was in school. Catholic one by the way.

My classmates and I were taught school was to prepare one for adult life, first of all how to be a good Catholic, how to be a responsible human being, in and out of school, how to be honest, how to be an moral member of society.

Take a moral ethics class Teen and you will find being true to honest values is of the ultimate importance. Nothing ethical and honest is worth giving up, neither your values, nor what you believe in, not even for an A plus. As Nat says, start with venial sins, let them become a habit, then it is sooooooo much easier to overlook the Mortal ones.

You seem to be an example of a young person who doesn’t know what to believe in, what to stand for, what is right and wrong, who doesn’t believe absolute right and wrong exist, one who is going the way of materialism and relativism. Hopefully you will have many years to delve into your beliefs and find the high road instead of the low.