Just the Facts Ma'am

For A to Z this year, my theme for this blog will be the "Fact versus Opinion" tour.

As a teacher, I knew what it was like to be Ceasar's wife. I got along with everyone the best that I could. I voiced few opinions outside of family and close friends. I agreed with every child about what mom and dad said. Really, the world is a good place, lots of good children and parents. It's funny how the negative ones can really color opinions and your day.

We talk about the problems with illiteracy. What about illiteracy with math or science? Do they exist? Sure, knowledge is power. Knowledge is power in that it allows an informed decision when needed. What flavor of ice cream is immaterial. What flavor of ice cream is a big deal when someone has a nut allergy. We constantly process information.

So knowledge is power.

As a teacher I was tasked with a variety of topics to teach. One was not to smoke.  I never discussed the issue heavy handed. Most sixth graders would seriously say they would never smoke. I worked more in the children understanding it was their decision. Unless they had a good reason to not smoke, they may pick the habit up one day. They needed to recognize that a couple of puffs with a friend who smoked could lead to a habit.

I would love to just tell people that climate change is real and that would be it. But people need to understand what climate change is to believe it is real. Interesting enough, oilman now secretary of state Rex Tillerson believes climate change is real. He also believes people will not make changes to prevent the repercussions so why bother.

We make decisions based on what we know. Sometimes, people have opinions because that is what everyone thinks around them. Consider the vaccine to prevent genital warts. When groups of people organized to say the vaccine would encourage promiscuity in teenagers, Governor Rick Scott of Texas shut them down with the statement to the effect that the prevention of genital warts was a public health matter not a morality issue. Although a very conservative politician, he made a decision based on fact.

I'm not discussing politics, will not touch on climate change, Different aspects of science I found interesting as a teacher are the topics. I hope you find them interesting too.

Please use a hyperlink to your blog with your comment so I can read your post. My strategy is to read five blogs above and below mine in the A to Z comment section each day. I will be putting my hyperlinks there.

This is the link for my other blog.   So Much To Choose From


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So Much to Choose From