Should conspiracy theories be taught in schools?

Undesired Walrus

Penultimate Amazing
Undesired Walrus
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Apr 10, 2007
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I demand the following message be read out in history classes up and down the country.

"This textbook contains material on the events of September 11th 2001. 19 highly religous men training in flying planes with no interest in taking off or landing, being wired money from their flatmate in Hamburg who was visible on video with known international terrorist Osama Bin Laden and recording matyrdom videos, only to be found later in the remains of hijacked planes, is a theory, not a fact, regarding the events of september 11th when passengers on four planes informed authorities of hijackings. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."
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Is that fair?
 
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I would prefer a lesson along the lines of:
"Some people think there is evidence that the 9-11 attacks were planned and executed by the US Government. Here is why they are wrong."

Dave
 
I teach high school social studies and occassionally get hit with the conspiracy nonsense. I don't tell them it's nonsense, instead we go to the computer room, they do basic research and come to their own conclusions. 99.5% of them come away with the conclusion that there is no conspiracy regarding 9/11 (or whatever conspiracy they wish to research, the choice is theirs).

Education is not brainwashing.
 
Undesired Walrus said:
I demand the following message be read out in history classes up and down the country.



Is that fair?
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Untill you can prove something else happened... err... YEAH!

[edit] ACK! didn't read the whole thing... If you get that read in class then I want this read in biology class: "That you exist is just a "theory" This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."
 
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Alt+F4 said:
I teach high school social studies and occassionally get hit with the conspiracy nonsense. I don't tell them it's nonsense, instead we go to the computer room, they do basic research and come to their own conclusions. 99.5% of them come away with the conclusion that there is no conspiracy regarding 9/11 (or whatever conspiracy they wish to research, the choice is theirs).

Education is not brainwashing.
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I tutor a class on critical thinking (An extension of English), and one of my students brought that up. I told him to do the same thing as Alt+F4 did, and he hasn't spoken about 9/11 conspiracies again. From previous experience, I think that he's teed off to be deceived, but doesn't want to be reminded that he believed this. I'm not going to pressure him to give me a definitive answer...
 
FactCheck said:
"That you exist is just a "theory" This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."
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Bloody good point. If the Christians or Twoofers get their alloted time at the podium, by all means, the Buddhists deserve their opportunity to explain the concept of anatman. You don't, in reality, exist.
 
Undesired Walrus said:
I demand the following message be read out in history classes up and down the country.

"This textbook contains material on the events of September 11th 2001. 19 highly religous men training in flying planes with no interest in taking off or landing, being wired money from their flatmate in Hamburg who was visible on video with known international terrorist Osama Bin Laden and recording matyrdom videos, only to be found later in the remains of hijacked planes, is a theory, not a fact, regarding the events of september 11th when passengers on four planes informed authorities of hijackings. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."
Click to expand...



Is that fair?
Click to expand...

How about simply -




"Chemtrails. Lol."
 
conspiracy theory lunacy has no place in american schools. that goes for 9-11 sillyness and creationism
 
Depends on the class. Creationism IS an appropriate lesson--for a religion class. Likewise, 9/11 woo would be an appropriate lesson for...maybe a psychology class? I dunno.
 
Not now, but possibly in 50 years....

I don't know exactly how the past seven years are going to be viewed in the future, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if many people use them as example of why we shouldn't trust our government. If taught properly, discussing 9/11 conspiracy theories would help provide balance by showing that you shouldn't automatically believe the exact opposite of what the government tells you, either.
 
Well conspiracy theories are widely taught in Islamic schools across the Middle East and that's clearly resulted in the best education system in the world. :rolleyes:
 
the phrase "no one is completely useless, they can always serve as a bad example" comes to mind

in the vein, i think the 9/11 CTs have a place in critical thinking classes, in a "dont do this" sense, lol
 
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