“Dear Sir—I’m with you, except for the Newtonian physics. The vast majority of Americans in high school do not take physics of any kind, nor are they prepared to, even if you assume they could. Something like 40 per cent of them are functionally illiterate.

“They should be taught a few things like photosynthesis, the solar system, the lever and fulcrum and the pulley, etc., anatomy and reproduction, under the aegis of ’science.’ To get this much into them would be a huge triumph.

We are currently failing badly at teaching even the most basic lessons.

“They should never be taught anything even slightly controversial. There’s too much they don’t know and will never know which is undisputed by the craziest of monks. The children (and their teachers) should not be allowed to waste time ‘rapping’ about anything. They accomplish little enough as it is.

“In the occasional corner of the occasional school where elevated material is appropriate–in fact indispensable–the good teacher will just naturally present Newtonian physics and Darwinism. No laws are needed to command this. But such corners are getting rarer and rarer in public schools.

“Generally speaking, the ‘public school science classes’ you picture in this country do not exist. Just look at the scores.”

[Derb] I wouldn’t be surprised if this is right. Even if it’s not, speaking as a person who actually has tried to get knowledge into a room full of 15-yr-old heads, I smile wearily at the idea that we should “expose kids to all sides,” “teach the controversy,” and so on. Let’s teach kids the basics, where we can, and let them tackle the controversy when they are old enough, mature enough, and interested enough to do so.