Academic Dishonesty

Editor’s Note:  NewHartfordHeldHostage is a contributing author, whose topics may be controversial to some.  The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NewHartfordBeacon.com

At the beginning of each semester, I tell students that my economic theory course will deal with positive, non-normative economic theory. I also tell them that if they hear me making a normative statement without first saying, “In my opinion,” they are to raise their hands and say, “Professor Williams, we didn’t take this class to be indoctrinated with your personal opinions passed off as economic theory; that’s academic dishonesty.” I also tell them that as soon as they hear me say, “In my opinion,” they can stop taking notes because my opinion is irrelevant to the subject of the class – economic theory.  ~ Walter Williams

My son attends elementary school.  Here are two recent topics that he has studied:

1.       The USDA Food Pyramid/MyPlate is the optimal human diet.

2.       Ethanol is a superior fuel source to gasoline.

Both of these statements are opinions.  There has been exhaustive research done that could lead you to believe that each is utterly incorrect.  Yet, my son has learned that ethanol’s superiority to gas is a universal truth, just like 2+2=4.  You may say that the kids are too young to debate the alternative arguments.  You may be correct.  That is precisely why it is intellectually dishonest to bring up the topic while only presenting one side.  As a parent, I now need to enlighten him to the other sides, all of which are also opinions. 

Professor Williams’ students are graduate students at George Mason University.  Their ability to distinguish between fact and opinion has had over 20 years to develop.  Our elementary school children’s has not.  When the teacher who taught the children that “2+2=4”, or “t-r-u-t-h spells truth”, voices their opinion, and does not offer any alternative views, the students will view that opinion as if it were fact.  Therefore it is the responsibility of our educators, to be very careful of what they teach and how they teach it.

NewHartfordHeldHostage