By AMY RILEY
One Citizen's Perspective

It is with a measure of trepidation that I wade into the waters of the Humanities discussion. I say this because I have a big heart for these students, and yet into the water I go.

Parents, current and former students, and educators alike have applauded these “humans,” as they are lovingly referred to by their teacher and mentor, Craig Humphrey, for making a bold stand to save something they hold dear.

Even critics who are prone to take a hard line on academics can't help but be sympathetic to the plight of these students who are clinging fast to preserve something they believe in. When children, who are so nearly adults, say things like, “This class has changed my life,” or, “I actually look forward to going to school now,” as a community, we listen, and we want to understand what they mean.

First, what is Humanities and why is it slated for cancellation?

Humanities is a two-hour course taught in the senior year at McIntosh High School, which counts as four required credits, two in senior English, and one each in Economics and American History and Government. The course is team-taught by two teachers who share the responsibility of instructing an average of 40 students.

Greg Stillions, principal of McIntosh, plans to remove the course at the end of this school year because of a need to serve more students, while still maintaining a small class size, with the same number of teachers. The two teachers together can teach as many as 48 students in the two-period block. Yet each teacher separately could teach 24 students in each of two periods, effectively serving 96 students as opposed to the current potential of 48 at no increased cost.

What do students “do” in the Humanities class? A lot, according to the students. They read literary works like Ayn Rand's “The Fountainhead” and Milton's “Paradise Lost.” They study Freud, Plato and Marx. They talk, debate, argue and write. They watch movies and sometimes play chess. On occasion, they even engage in hypnosis, though some parents have a problem with this, myself included. They associate outside of class, and go on an end-of-the-year camping trip. They do a variety of large projects from running a mock election to starting a business.

Supporters argue that the class is preparing children for life. Critics argue the exact opposite. To some, the course is lacking in academic substance and depriving students of vital and intensive instruction in writing, economics, and government at a critical juncture in their educational careers. Most agree that the students love the class. They love the teachers and the level of discussion. So what is a principal to do?

The problem is that most people at the administrative level know that the course is stimulating for the students and the teachers, but the current academic playing field is just not conducive to this “outside of the box” program. The current climate stresses objectives which are measurable. Like it or not, agree or disagree, this is the reality of today.

While the course could certainly remain as an elective, and may return as a one-period elective option in the future, it has become increasingly difficult to justify its appropriateness as a substitute for English 12-A and B and the Economics and History and Government required credits. Of course when you remove the “for credit” component, as everyone with a high school student knows, it becomes a scheduling luxury that no one can afford.

I can truly empathize with these students and teachers. It is sad that an experience which is truly eye opening and inspirational just doesn't fit the “mold,” yet at the same time, I agree with the administration that they have an obligation to provide a set of core knowledge and skills that is consistent for all students.

I don't relish having to say this, because I know this makes me a dinosaur among a bunch of “tuned in” students, and I was a “tuned in” student once, too. The fact is, we don't love everything we do; not every worthy activity in life is heady and exciting. You will get this opportunity again in college and throughout the rest of your life. I felt exactly like you do now my freshman year in college, yet I feel even more so today in my thirties. So do Mr. Baker and Mr. Humphrey, I bet. They will be great at whatever they teach.

You've had a taste. Take it with you. Those who will not get the same opportunity, take heart. It will come, and with it a whole bunch of other great, and sometimes not so great, “stuff.”

Disappointment and the need to retool and regroup happens a lot in adulthood. Maybe, even the loss is preparing you for life. Stay passionate, stay alive, and don't let the fire go out in your quest for knowledge. We're all proud of you.

Back to Opinion Home Page | Back to the top of the page