K-12 Schools operate at a very different level  than universities and colleges. When teachers are hired they typically are the experts in their field, whether that is true or not. A mentoring system for new or inexperienced teachers does often not exist. One needs to question the education that science teachers receive. One also needs to question the type of teacher development offered to science teachers, if it is offered at all.

Continued accidents in middle and high schools science classes  are highly worrisome, as we are continuously worried about accidents occurring in academic institutions.  In contrast to academic institutions, though, no environmental health and safety system exists, nor is there input from experts that understand the science experiments these teachers try to demonstrate.

In my opinion, universities and colleges should be charged with helping school science teachers. After all, they educated the kids, we hope, will enter our academic labs. I am sure that none of the science teachers have caused their accidents out of maliciousness rather it was their ignorance.

Imke

Center for Laboratory Safety