Teachers

[Andy008]

Perhaps I'm biased as I hated school with a passion, but does anyone else know of any monstrous lies teachers have told kids?

For example, when I was about 10, I remember told that "the vast majority of people in the UK work for the government".

[kempie]

I don't know when you were 10, but the current Government figures show that:

the UK workforce totals around 29 million of which around 17.5% work in the public sector. These include ~1.7% in the civil service, ~1% in the rest of central government (principally the NDPBs, the National Health Service and the Armed Forces), ~5% in public corporations (such as the BBC, Royal Mail Group and BNFL) and ~9% in local government.

City analysts cut the figures differently, placing 6.9 million of 28.5 million workers (or ~24%) in the public sector.

Although 24% cannot be called "the vast majority" this significant figure does make the Government the largest employer in the UK. So not that much of a lie.

[Rystan]

No good teacher lies, but the dissemination of unfounded "facts" are well documented.

Many of these have to do with sex education, which has at times taught many of the ridiculous notions we now laugh at; that any form of physical contact other than intercourse can result in pregnancy; assorted physical ailments if one masturbates, etc.

Multiple lies are still told today about certain illegal substances, nost notably marijuana, which has never been proved to be either addictive or a gateway to harder drugs, but both these things are taught to students by an educational system that knows better. Alarmist propaganda in he 60's, 70's and 80's claimed that a single hit of LSD could both hook you for life and turn you into a vegetable (while taking ANY illegal drug is very risky due to the unknown nature of the manufacturing practice, this was in reality probably about as likely to threaten the health of a first time user than someone who was, for example, trying shellfish for the first time).

Probably the best example of modern-age institutional fiction, however, was the "duck and cover" of the U.S. The government instituted a guideline suggesting that in the event of a nuclear attack, students should dive beneath their desks for protection. Clearly, the men who had developed the Big Bomb knew the nature of the dangers of such a weapon, and that acting in this way would only mean you'd die under your desk instead of seated at it. But the system taught it, and drills were held regularly.

[Dom Tuk]

we were told at school that god exists and that there is heaven and earth.

[Grunty]

A troop of soldiers during the war was told that if they came under fire, they would be all right if they kept down because nine feet of corn stops a bullet.

[Weaza_cfc]

I have heard that in some States in the US, evolution simply is not taught becauseit goes against Genesis and that State is particularly fundamentalist Christian.

Can you imagine that in the classroom? "Miss, did dinosaurs excist?" "No Billy, get back to sums"

That's one hell of a lie (or so we believe...)

[Clanad]

Waza_cfc, there are no States or political subdivisions that permit the teaching of alternate theories of origin based on religious interpretations, as you have heard.  Another urban myth.  There are some State and local school boards that are seeking to be allowed the teaching of alternate theories, in conjunction with Darwin's theory, however.  Many scientists and teachers have voiced serious reservations about the classical Darwinian theory and would like to explore other avenues, but none of the alternates proposed are religious in nature...

[Weaza_cfc]

Well so sorry I was misinformed. I must admit I was a little dubious, but you never can be sure!

[Dark Angel]

Can't remember excatly what it was, but a Health Science teacher upset some of the brainier girls by saying something about the Portal Artery that was not quite correct. I think she said it carries blood from soem of the organs to the heart, instead of the other way aroud, and one girl guffawed really loudly when the teacher said this, which resulted in the hurt feelings of the latter.

But this particular teacher was known to talk nonsense, especially for Religious Knowledge, when she used to end up talking about relationship problems and dysfunctional families, whatever the subject happened to be.

[maxi29]

Sorry Clanad, but it's not an urban myth. Kansas voted to delete the teaching of evolution from its science curriculum in 1999. (see here http://www.cnn.com/US/9908/12/kansas.evolution.flap/). The decision was later reversed, but it certainly happened.
In 2002, Ohio has also permitted the teaching of creationism in schools. And in 1996,Alabama Board of Education voted for stickers to be placed on books to say that evolution is a theory, There are moves afoot in other states too.

[libertie]

Well........when I was at school the teacher told me that if I did'nt stick in and work hard I would end up in the local biscuit factory, so I worked hard went to uni and got a degree in Food Science............guess where I now work??