Althouse: "Idaho teacher investigated for saying ‘vagina’ during biology lesson."

March 27, 2013

"Idaho teacher investigated for saying ‘vagina’ during biology lesson."

"Tim McDaniel, who teaches 10th grade science at Dietrich School, told the Twin Falls Times-News that four parents were upset when they learned that his lesson included the word 'vagina' and information about the biology behind female orgasm."

48 comments:

Sam L. said...: Well, if not a sex-ed class...; 3/27/13, 6:52 PM
tim maguire said...: I was fine with it until he got to "orgasm".; 3/27/13, 6:56 PM
Largo said...: As long as it's not confused with "vulva".; 3/27/13, 6:58 PM
rcommal said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/27/13, 6:58 PM
Anonymous said...: what? they're not just experimenting in the back seats of cars anymore?; 3/27/13, 7:00 PM
rhhardin said...: Ask the kids what they call it.; 3/27/13, 7:02 PM
Alex said...: Globular Clusters.; 3/27/13, 7:03 PM
Largo said...: She: "Want to check out the back seat of my volvo?"; 3/27/13, 7:03 PM
Rob said...: Never use a three-syllable word when a one-syllable word will suffice.; 3/27/13, 7:04 PM
Anonymous said...: I prefer using poon tang myself. Bearded clam used to be pretty good too, but today it's tragically obsolete.

Peter; 3/27/13, 7:05 PM
Renee said...: Sorry but what else are we going call it?; 3/27/13, 7:12 PM
edutcher said...: What if he just said, "Pussy", with a picture of Honor Blackman on the wall?; 3/27/13, 7:20 PM
Largo said...: I hope he talked about the G-spot.

And squirting. That would have been cool.

[I love to give voice to my inner Titus.]

Squirting.; 3/27/13, 7:23 PM
Anonymous said...: Hoo-ha.; 3/27/13, 7:25 PM
dreams said...: Showing Al Gore's propaganda movie is what I don't like about the guy.; 3/27/13, 7:34 PM
Oso Negro said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/27/13, 7:34 PM
Nomennovum said...: The female orgasm is proof that God exists. There is no other reason for it to exist. It is completely gratuitous. You women atheists are ingrates.; 3/27/13, 7:35 PM
Oso Negro said...: Well, just wait 'til the good folks of Idaho see what the Supreme Court is cooking up for them. Vagina isn't the half of it.; 3/27/13, 7:43 PM
bearing said...: Drill down to the linked article from the newspaper and you'll see that he is also accused of making inappropriate jokes, showing a video of diseased genitalia, sharing confidential student files, and using school property to promote political candidates.

But, sure, it is more fun just to suggest it's all about the word vagina. Confirms all our stereotypes of flyover country religious kooks.; 3/27/13, 7:48 PM
Unknown said...: dreams
I agree until they got to the Inconvenient Truth showing I was all on his side.; 3/27/13, 7:52 PM
DADvocate said...: Boy, those parents sure are a bunch of pussies. That may have been the first time this school year those kids heard the appropriate term for snapper.

This calls for a refreshing moment of the Bob and Tom song: "Camel Toe" sung to the tune of the Beach Boys great song, "Kokomo."

Sideways sloppy joe, taco, bearded clam, muffin, kootchie, biscuit, beavage, flapper,....; 3/27/13, 7:56 PM
Synova said...: The word "vagina" in a class about biology? No big deal.

Discussion of female orgasm (or male orgasm, for that matter,) in front of a class of teenagers? Big deal.; 3/27/13, 8:26 PM
Synova said...: Really... if a teenage girl wants to figure out a female orgasm and what exactly needs to be done to get one, all she needs to do is read a romance.; 3/27/13, 8:29 PM
bagoh20 said...: "Really... if a teenage girl wants to figure out a female orgasm and what exactly needs to be done to get one, all she needs to do is read a romance."

Oh great! Now you tell me. I Could have used this info back when "Laugh-In" was still on. Sock it to me!; 3/27/13, 8:43 PM
zenpig said...: seriously, does anyone really think the school board is dealing solely with the word "vagina"? The article linked to is a hack job of the real article posted in the Twin Falls local paper and is designed to illicit lemming responses. A town that is 66% LDS...my lord, do they even allow dances? hehe Not that the religious affiliation of the parents complaining was ever revealed but the teacher himself is LDS; 3/27/13, 8:52 PM
Unknown said...: For the record, Mormons can and do dance.; 3/27/13, 9:01 PM
Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...: Shoulda said 'cunt.' Jeeze!; 3/27/13, 9:04 PM
Glen H said...: If that photo is of Tim McDaniel, I can see where some parents might have a problem :); 3/27/13, 9:06 PM
bagoh20 said...: I don't think I've spoken the word "vagina" 5 times in my entire life.

I just point and giggle.; 3/27/13, 9:22 PM
Anonymous said...: Ah I see you conservatives are talking about sex again, sheesh, scandalous.; 3/27/13, 9:31 PM
son said...: NOPE

You got trolled Ann

The teacher being investigated is making this claim. No one else. It may or may not be true.

Raw story was able to get the exact number of mormons in the county (And drum up lots of bigotry in the comments vs mormons) even though there is no allegations that mormons are even involved.

They accidentally on purpose forgot to mention this information though

According to a letter from the Idaho State Department of Education to McDaniel, the allegations also include that he shared confidential student files with an individual other than their parents, showed a video clip in class depicting an infection of genital herpes, taught different forms of birth control and told inappropriate jokes in class.

http://magicvalley.com/news/local/state-investigates-complaint-about-dietrich-science-teacher-s-human-reproduction/article_47dec69a-963f-11e2-a856-001a4bcf887a.html

I guess if it leads to anti mormon bigotry it's all good though.

Nice one raw story. Way to hold back the facts while inserting irrelevant facts about mormons who may or may not even be involved.; 3/27/13, 9:33 PM
Titus said...: Thanks for reminding me to never visit Idaho..like I ever wood.; 3/27/13, 9:36 PM
SJ said...: But did he talk about gladiators, their swords, and the sheaths for those swords?

Come on, it's a good idea to introduce the kids to some Latin.

Though in this case, the anatomy-use of the word came from doctors, not from old Romans.

(@bearing, if you're right, then he should be reported for doing those things, not for talking about biology.); 3/27/13, 10:28 PM
Joe said...: I like how everyone here seems to defend any conservative accused of something by rightly saying the word of one annoyed person doesn't make truth. Yet, when the shoe is on the other foot, the lynch mob mentality comes out.

Once again, I conclude that in what really matters, there isn't much difference between leftists and rightists.; 3/27/13, 10:50 PM
Oso Negro said...: Bagoh - sad for you. What isn't to like about vagina? I like vagino-Americans. I enjoy vaginal access on demand. I like it declined, inclined and reclined.; 3/27/13, 10:58 PM
Unknown said...: You said it Joe. We're all hypocrites, so choose a side and go for it.; 3/27/13, 11:57 PM
Kirk Parker said...: "...showing a video of diseased genitalia..."

Ah, so he showed a Madonna music video in class? Yes, that *is* beyond the pale.; 3/28/13, 12:10 AM
Dante said...: Ann, are you referring to your own post when you tag "lameness"? Seriously, An Inconvenient Truth is a propaganda film that has made hundreds of millions for Al Gore.

here is the guys excuse:

"“This sort of thing makes you worry about what you teach,” he added. “That’s not right."

So the asshole can teach anything he wants? How about White Supremacy?; 3/28/13, 1:26 AM
machine said...: Oh noes! Science!; 3/28/13, 6:57 AM
Robert Cook said...: For Pete's sake, in my 7th grade gym class they spent a week at the beginning of the school year (in other words, we were really still just 6th graders just beginning 7th grade) teaching us about the dangers of venereal disease. And this was in the later 60s in the south!

Sensibly, the schools recognized that when puberty hits, some kids will begin engaging in sexual activity with each other, and they considered it appropriate and prudent to provide us with the knowledge to protect ourselves against some of the unexpected ills of sexual behaviors.

At this late date, if any 10th grader has not heard the word "vagina," or "orgasm" (or experienced one), that child's parents must be suspected of having kept their kid in permanent lockdown in a basement dungeon. Jeebus! The attempts to infantilize our children just keeps accelerating.

As for the other "charges," they're pretty vague as stated, and may indicate substantially inappropriate or completely insignificant actions on the teacher's part.

And Heaven forfend that he showed AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH in a science class! I haven't seen the movie, but it does present a case for changes to our global climate and weather systems that a majority of scientists--whether they ultimately prove to be right or wrong--have concluded is occurring. Education is not merely the rote learning of predigested orthodoxy but the consideration of information that may be provocative, controversial, and subject to debate. It is in the debate that the education takes place, as it helps the students learn to think about the information presented to them--in all fora--and not just accept as revealed truth whatever is handed down from on high.; 3/28/13, 7:04 AM
Roger J. said...: my youngest son who teaches a course in "family life" was asked by a fifth grader: "what is an orgasm?" The principal and the ed coordinator were in the classroom that day. My son responded: an orgasm is a physical response to the sex act. Thought that was a pretty good answer. The class went on uninterrupted.; 3/28/13, 7:05 AM
Roger J. said...: Mr Cook--I agree generally with your comments about the role of education--but with this personal caveat: I think INFORMED discussion will depend on what the basic level of understanding is among the students about the underlying facts of the question at hand. I do not know where that occurs in the education process, so I really cant comment with any authority.; 3/28/13, 7:19 AM
Unknown said...: "Infantilize our children."
Children who know everything there is to know about sex before they are 8, but who never learn to work hard, study, accept consequences, delay gratification, feel shame, feel pride in personal accomplishment, or accept limitations are in liberal world grown up. What a screwed up mess.; 3/28/13, 7:49 AM
Unknown said...: I like this, it sums up how I feel...
"Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don't have to compromise convictions to be compassionate." -Rick Warren; 3/28/13, 8:01 AM
Robert Cook said...: "I think INFORMED discussion will depend on what the basic level of understanding is among the students about the underlying facts of the question at hand. I do not know where that occurs in the education process...."

To the extent the students are uninformed about a topic of discussion, the discussion itself may itself inform to a degree, and can spur additional search for information by the students, if the person presiding over the discussion directs the students to sources where they may educate themselves further as to the facts, hypotheses, controversies, differing opinions, and uncertainties about the given subject of discussion.; 3/28/13, 8:43 AM
Oso Negro said...: Wyo Sis - The ability to feel shame is predicated on the notion that there are standards for behavior. We have systematically eliminated standards to avoid making any feel they can't measure up.; 3/28/13, 9:32 AM
Synova said...: "And Heaven forfend that he showed AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH in a science class! I haven't seen the movie, but it does present a case for changes to our global climate and weather systems that a majority of scientists--whether they ultimately prove to be right or wrong--have concluded is occurring. Education is not merely the rote learning of predigested orthodoxy but the consideration of information that may be provocative, controversial, and subject to debate."

An Inconvenient Truth IS the predigested orthodoxy.

There are video answers to that film. If the goal is to allow or even promote debate, show both.; 3/28/13, 5:05 PM
rcommal said...: I *think* I've told this story (and in some more detail, again *I think*) here, or somewhere, before, but just in case not, here's the, or a, pithy version:

During one of my health classes--co-ed, by the way--in high school in the '70s, a sex-ed film was shown featuring Adrienne Barbeau, and as I recall it she addressed the issue of condoms while holding one.

That was something, believe you me.; 3/28/13, 6:10 PM