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Date: Sat, 9 Oct 2010 12:03:44 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: McGrath Edward J <Edward.McGrath**At_Symbol_Here**REDCLAY.K12.DE.US>
Subject: Re: Science Education & Safety
Actually, if you don't mind, I'd like to stir that pot myself.
OUr K-12 school district promotes a "culture of safety" regarding
science curriculum and instruction. The idea is that we live in a world
of risk, and creating an experience that is entirely without risk is
simply not true science. Our curriculum must include ways to handle
toxins, corrosives, and flammables. Therefore, our curriculum includes
PPE, access to safety equipment, responsibly safe practice, and what to
do when ...situation occurs.
Having said this, the procedures and materials used in this culture of
safety must keep the following in mind: we are a K-12 school district,
not a university nor an industrial setting. Furthermore, although some
element of risk is involved with secondary science, there are some
procedures and materials that should not be in our schools, even though
they were in our schools as recently as five or ten years ago.
Certainly we can demonstrate oxidation reactions with potassium chlorate
and candy (for example). However, we have to store these in the same
school where they are used, and although the chemical storeroom has
limited access (chemistry teachers and the principal), what are the
consequences if a break-in should occur? Read some of the chemical
safety headlines that Ralph Stuart posts--accidents involving schools
make us shake our heads and say, "how in the world could that have
happened?" I'd be willing to bet that the schools where this sort of
thing occurs are full of teachers and administrators that shake their
heads at headlines like this...until it happens to them.
My point is (I apologize for rambling a bit), is that in academia, risk
analysis and safe practice with hazardous situations is part of a
quality curriculum. We have a responsibility to scrutinize those
activities with associated risk and ask the following questions:
1) How is this activity promoting learning in our students?
2) How are we actively protecting our students, our community, and
ourselves from the risks involved?
Therefore, finding a safe alternative to an otherwise excessively risky
procedure isn't just safe practice, it's also good pedagogy. Likewise,
removing all risk from the science curriculum deprives the students of
an important piece of laboratory practice--safety.
Edward J. McGrath
Science Supervisor
Red Clay Consolidated School District
________________________________
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List on behalf of Norwood, Brad
Sent: Sat 10/9/2010 8:00 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Science Education & Safety
While I agree (mainly) in principle with Ernest, there are some things
that really should come off of the list. An obvious example (and I'm
being extreme here, not intending to imply Ernest wouldn't agree) is
benzene. I'm sure we'd all agree that this is a solvent that simply
should not be used under any circumstances.
But Ernest's point is spot-on. If all we do is 'dumb down' the content
of labs and remove all possible hint of danger, we exacerbate the
problem of a society full of chemophobic individuals who simply do not
know how to handle any chemical, much less make a rational decision as
to whether a given situation is really a problem or not. Heck, if this
is going to be our response (i.e. let's remove all danger from the lab),
we might as well discontinue 'real' labs and just do the whole thing as
an online & virtual experience. Take a video of the experiment and let
the kiddies watch it.
I think we do our students (and, ultimately, society itself) a
disservice when we immediately presume that we must be the
nanny-protector from all harm. The real world does not operate this way
(ambulance-chasing, TV ad-trolling trial lawyers notwithstanding). Far
better to teach them what the real issues are and how to think
critically through a situation to assess it, and to actually perform,
hands-on, real chemical reactions with real chemicals and reagents -
some of which can harm them - to demonstrate that, with proper handling,
care and understanding, chemicals can and do perform wonderful things
for us.
I'll get off my soapbox now.
Brad
Dr. Bradley K. Norwood
Laboratory Director
Arista Laboratories
1941 Reymet Road
Richmond, VA 23237
(804) 271-5572 ext. 307
(804) 641-4641 (cell)
brad.norwood**At_Symbol_Here**aristalabs.com
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From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of
Ernest Lippert
Sent: Friday, October 08, 2010 11:51 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Science Education & Safety
I guess I am "Old School" but it is hardly possible to teach (or
practice) chemistry without some exposure to more or less dangerous
chemicals. What needs to be taught is how to handle chemicals safely,
not how to handle only safe chemicals. We must be careful not to
occupationally regulate ourselves out of existence.
Regards,
Ernest Lippert
On Fri, Oct 8, 2010 at 3:51 PM, Russell Vernon
wrote:
I found out today that one of our teaching labs is conducted an
extraction experiment with dichloromethane (caffeine from coffee)
I would like to provide them a reasonable alternative extraction
experiment with an occupationally regulated carcinogen...
If you have a recommendation to look at, would you please contact me?
Thanks,
-Russ
Russell Vernon, Ph.D.
Research Safety
Environmental Health & Safety
University of California, Riverside
900 University Ave
Riverside, CA 92521
www.ehs.ucr.edu
russell.vernon**At_Symbol_Here**ucr.edu
Direct (951) 827-5119
Admin (951) 827-5528
Fax (951) 827-5122
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