AIBU to be annoyed the teacher was telling the children how she didn't believe in the moon landings ?

[SpaceAhoy]

My 10yo DS came home from school today and told me that his teacher didn't believe in the moon landings.

I asked how this conversation started but he wasn't sure as he was reading his book as instructed.

He said the teacher did a class wide poll and everyone agreed with her accept him and one other pupil.

AIBU to be annoyed at the teacher for bringing her personal beliefs into the classroom?

I actually think I'd be more worried about the teachers who believe in God. There's no actual evidence for that is there?

The moon landings... well it might have happened, it might not have. It depends.on whether you think America was so desperate to beat Russia to the moon, in order to get their flag on it and lay claim to any resources, or whether they were actually able to do it. Also you night question why they haven't been since or why an other country with a space program has never bothered.
You might wonder. I think it's called critical thinking.

@noblegiraffe I just have to tag you on this one.

Expressing a controversial opinion can be a really good way of promoting debate - encouraging children to counter opinion with facts

I agree with this - at this age they need to be confident of their own opinions and facts

Ummm seems very repetitive of a previous thread. Someone wanting to highlight teachers and moon landings apparently 😂

Ps I am a teacher and definitely believe that they happened (if that makes you feel any better OP.)

An opinion is coffee is nicer than tea. Saying the moon landings are fake is ignorant and quite frankly stupid. I would absolutely want clarification from the teacher that this is what they actually said and then I would take it from there.

"I would be annoyed that such a stupid person is teaching my child."

@mydogisthebest well that's what happens when you offer stupidly high bursaries to people who have either done rubbish in their degree or haven't even done a degree in the subject that they teach because you're so desperate to try and keep enough teachers in schools ...

I would like to add that I’m a teacher who believes in god but as I teach in a non religious school it would be totally inappropriate for me to mention that to children. It’s possible to keep opinions private when needed.

I don't think that can go under "personal belief" in the same way as religion and a politics. Believing that the moon landing was a hoax is batshit crazy and I would have a word with the head about allowing batshit crazy people near my children.

Why do people think that belief in things for which there is no evidence should be respected? So called god is a magic sky wizard, with a side order of malevolence. I will never respect belief in so gods, fairies, or any supernatural nonsense. I will however tolerate it and defend their right to believe in bollocks.

A lot (but not all!) of these conspiracy theorists are flat earthers as well, moon landings don't fit into their cosmology.

Smsmeeesmeghhhehead, may not have happened? Really! How have so many people kept quiet about it then? No way could that many people be paid off and guaranteed to keep quiet.

I think anyone who believes the moon landings were fake is crazy

I didn't say I didn't believe but I can see how there's possibly room for doubt. I the other hand there's no case for god being real that I've ever thought plausible

I've been in a class of 10 year olds where the teacher said that Jesus is the only human to ever come back from the dead 😱

I would expect a young woman in her early 20's, to be better educated and less susceptible to conspiracy theories.

You're complaining about a perceived lack of critical thinking and you come out with this?

I'd laugh about it. (well, i'm not sure about moon landings myself)
However, a bit unprofessional of the teacher. If you have a controversial belief, you maybe should keep it out of classroom, especially in primary school when children are most impressionable.

Also I think the cult of science is sometimes worse than religion. With religion, you can at least denounce it and be left alone. But dare to question what passes as science these days - you'll be crucified. Transgenderism is a good example.

Bridgetreilly has it nailed. She is a human being with opinions and is teaching the children that it's ok to have their own opinion. Why do so many people expect teachers to be robots?! I don't believe in a magic wizard in the sky who talked to people by setting bushes on fire or impregnating virgins but I respect people who do believe because it is their right to believe what they want. It is literally their human right.

This!!

katiethecarrot, of course people can believe what they want but they should not go around spouting it at children. I am still surprised that someone so stupid can be a teacher.

I am still surprised that someone so stupid can be a teacher.
Sorry, but you don't need to be a super intelligent, PhD in science, to be a primary school teacher...

I am still surprised that someone so stupid can be a teacher

Are you totally sure she was saying it as a “fact” rather than a discussion starter? Did you hear how the conversation began? Because the OP’s child didn’t.

Maybe rude and judgemental is your go to response though 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think if anything, sharing controversial opinions can contribute to the development of critical thinking if done correctly. Not just rote learning of 'facts' and being told that you must unquestioningly accept anything you're told is a fact. Where is the debate, discovery, and learning in that? Initially 'batshit' ideas are the very basis of scientific enquiry, philosophy, the humanities. Curiosity, a questioning attitude, and a refusal to accept things at face value.

I would welcome the opportunity to have a conversation about the space program, it's social context, the technical feasibility and maybe examine some evidence from each side together. Fascinating!

She’s not teaching children it’s ok to have an opinion though, she’s their teacher and she’s supposed to teach them facts. She had a vote and most of the class agreed with her which shows how impressionable this age is. There’s a real anti science climate at the moment and the thought that someone’s opinion hold equal weight as researched evidenced facts / theories is stupid and dangerous.

Yanbu op, I would be really concerned if that teacher was teaching one of my kids.

Given that you don’t know the context which started the debate you can’t possibly criticise it though can you?

As for the pole,what’s wrong with that? She asked do children believe in the moon landings and a number said no. This ties in with the evidence that around 25% of the population don’t believe in the moon landings. So what’s wrong with asking children whether they believe in them or not?

Now if she’d told the ones who do believe that they were wrong then she would be out of order, but she didn’t.

This is a non discussion.

It's pretty worrying that 25% of people don't believe the moon landings took place.