One of the questions in this test concerned burning firewood:
The boy’s answer was B - this is accepted, settled science. Teacher, school and school district maintained that the correct answer was C, and repeatedly told the parents that they would not reconsider their position.Which of the following statements is correct?
- The cellulose and oxygen products indicate that this combustion reaction is endothermic.
- The heat and light products indicate that this combustion reaction is exothermic.
- The cellulose and oxygen products indicate that this combustion reaction is exothermic.
- The heat and light products indicate that this combustion reaction is endothermic.
After months of discussion between the boy's parents and the school, in mid-November the school district finally admitted that the correct answer to the question is - you've guessed it - B.
I had been in contact with the journalist who wrote this article, Jill Tucker, following its publication. Late in the evening of 19th November, she emailed me:
Always up to weighing in on this kind of stuff I responded, and was quoted in the follow-up article that came out overnight (for us in the UK). Here's the published quote, taken from my email reply to Jill:Hi Patrick,
I’m wondering if by chance you are awake and willing to comment on the school district from below and in the context of your work.
They FINALLY admitted burning firewood doesn’t produce oxygen and will be regrading all the student exams based on the correct answers to all six questions.
I was hoping you could comment on this stubbornness even in the face of scientific facts.
Would love your thoughts.
Best,
Jill
The follow-up article is here."This is a victory for the family, but much more than this — it is a significant acknowledgement that no one can make up scientific facts as they go along, and then refuse to budge when they are called out, no matter that they happen to be the teacher, school principal or whoever,” said Patrick Fullick, a visiting lecturer in AI and super-intelligent machines at the University of London and a co-creator of a new U.S./United Kingdom education project to counter the demotion of science.
“At a time when science is under attack and the work of scientists is called into question (whether this be about climate change, vaccination or any other field of scientific endeavour) the message that this affair sends out is both dismal and dangerous,” Fullick said, adding the Fremont case was a new twist, with educators, not politicians doubling down on incorrect answers.
"We fervently hope that this is not a sign of the attack on science starting to take root in our schools as well as in the political arena," he said.