Tennessee’s John Scopes: Convicted for teaching evolution

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High school science teacher John Scopes was convicted in 1925  for teaching the theory of human evolution in his Dayton, Tennessee, classroom. His story was fictionalized in the movie Inherit the Wind in 1960. Photo credit: University of Missouri, Kansas City, School of Law.

Recently I had the opportunity to view the film Inherit the Wind, a fictionalized treatment of the famed Scopes Trial of 1925 written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. The play was written in 1955, and the movie was released in 1960. The story centers around real-life high school science teacher John Scopes, and his conviction for teaching the theory of human evolution in his Dayton, Tennessee, classroom.

In 1925, it was unlawful to teach human evolution in a Tennessee public school, which was  then outlawed by the state’s Butler Act. To test the validity of the legislation, John Scopes allowed himself to be used as the test case. He was 24 years old at the time, had earned his Bachelor’s degree in Science from the University of Kentucky in 1924, and was a very popular general science teacher and football coach in his community.

The court case, which was viewed as a contest between religion and science, garnered national attention. The prosecutor was famed politician William Jennings Bryan, who was a former Secretary of State and three-time presidential candidate. The defense attorney was  accomplished lawyer and orator Clarence Darrow. John, who did not deny he taught evolution in his classes but who asserted that teaching scientific theory was not illegal, was found guilty of the charges. However, the verdict was later overturned on a technicality.

The Scopes trial didn’t bring the debate over the teaching of evolution to an end, but it did represent a setback for the anti-evolution coalition. Of the 15 states with anti-evolution legislation pending in 1925, only two states (Arkansas and Mississippi) enacted laws that prohibited or restricted the teaching of Darwin’s theory.

When the trial was over, John Scopes was invited to attend graduate school at the prestigious University of Chicago. A sort of Go-Fund-Me page of that period was organized to pay for his education. Later he accepted a position as a commercial geologist at United Gas in Shreveport, Louisiana. At age 67, the former teacher published his memoirs under the title Center of the Storm.

To learn more about this Chalkboard Champion, see the biography published about him written by Professor Douglas O. Linder of the University of Missouri, Kansas City, School of Law.

Krista Stanley named Florida’s 2021 Teacher of the Year

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Krista Stanley, a sixth grade math teacher from Okeechobee, Florida, has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Florida Department of Education.

I enjoy sharing stories about outstanding educators who have been recognized for their work in the classroom. One of these is Krista Stanley, a middle school teacher from Okeechobee, Florida. Krista was named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. She was selected from over 176,900 public school teachers for the honor.

As a youngster, Krista graduated from Okeechobee High School in her home town. She then earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Florida State University in 2016.

Krista inaugurated her career as an educator four years ago when she accepted a position at Yearling Middle School in her home town of Okeechobee. The school’s population is described as high poverty and high diversity. She teaches sixth grade mathematics there.

According to David Krakoff, Principal of Yearling Middle School, 86% of Krista’s students earned a proficient score on the Florida State Assessment in 2019. “Krista has mastered the art of meeting the needs of all our students,” asserted Krakoffl. “She is the model of what we can accomplish.”

In addition to her work in the classroom, Krista serves as a coach for her colleagues, a mentor for new teachers, a team leader for the other sixth-grade teachers, and a district math representative. In addition, Krista supports her colleagues through curriculum development, textbook adoption, and professional development.

As the 2021 Florida Teacher of the Year, Krista will serve for one year as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education, working to create increased public awareness of Florida’s outstanding teachers and elevating the education profession. In addition, she will receive a check for $20,000, and a two-year Florida College scholarship worth $8,000 to present to a student of her choice, according to the Florida State Department of Education.

Congratulations, Krista! To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, see this article about her published by the Florida State Department of Education.

Voc Ed teacher Michael Bammer helped graduated students succeed

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Vocational education teacher Michael Bammer of Lapeer, Michigan, was determined to help his students succeed, even after they graduated from high school. Photo credit: Muir Brothers Lapeer.

Many educators are beloved for going the extra mile to help their students. One of these was Michael Bammer, a vocational education teacher from Lapeer, Michigan. He was so determined to help his students succeed, he even bought them a house to live in while they were pursuing their education after graduating from high school.

Michael was born on November 26, 1961, in Battle Creek, Michigan. He was a long-time resident of Lapeer, Michigan, where he lived with his wife and three children. As a young man, he worked in a variety of jobs related to the automotive industry, including working in an auto service center, a full-service gas station, and an auto repair facility. He even owned his own automative repair business for a while.

It was Michael’s ability to explain mechanics to his customers led him to pursue a career as a vocational education teacher. He began as a para-professional in Automotive Technology at Lake Orion High School. There he discovered a passion for the teaching profession. After he moved on to a position as a para-professional in Agricultural Mechanics at Lapeer County Vocational and Technical Center (Ed-Tech) in Attica, he decided to pursue a formal education. He completed first his Associate’s degree and then his Bachelor’s degree, while simultaneously teaching adult education classes in Automotive Technology. Ultimately, he added a Master’s degree to his accomplishments. In 1998, Michael became a full-time teacher of Agricultural Mechanics. The program later became Diesel Technology.

Mike’s widow, Grace Bammer, remembered that her husband would go to great lengths to help his students succeed, even after they graduated fro high school. “A lot of the kids went on to a tech college in Lima, Ohio, and Mike would help them get scholarships,” she recalled. “Housing, though, was still more expensive than many of them could afford. So we bought a house down there for these kids from Lapeer to live in while they attended school,” she continued. “Mike wanted these kids to succeed and showed them that hard work really is the answer,” she concluded.

Sadly, Michael Bammer passed away on March 10, 2021, from complications associated with Covid-19. He was 59 years old. To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, see this obituary printed by The County Press in Lapeer, Michigan.

Terry Lee Marzell encourages a visit to the International Spy Museum

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Retired educator and author Terry Lee Marzsell, who recently visited the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC, encourages teachers and students to explore the museum’s resources.  Photo credit: Terry Lee Marzell.

As a retired teacher, I know that educators who are still working in the classroom enjoy leading their students to a variety of academic activities. Field trips, virtual tours, and academic websites are among the most fascinating educational activities we can share. Recently I traveled to Washington, DC, where I was able to participate in an exploration of the International Spy Museum. I was there side-by-side with a number of groups of school students who were excited to be able to spend the day at this unique museum.

If you, like many educators, are unable to escort your students to the museum, you can still explore the exhibits through online resources at this link: Spy Museum. On the museum website, students can see information about code breaking, sabotage, spying that shaped history, interrogation, and surveillance. For an overview of notorious spies and spymasters throughout time and to learn about tools used to carry out spy missions, your students can click on this link to Stealing Secrets. They can view resources related to covert action, sabotage, secret soldiers, and propaganda at this link: Covert Action.

If you and your students are able to visit in person, you will find the museum at 700 L’Enfant Plaza, SW in Washington, DC. The museum is open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm every day. The cost is $24.95 for adults and students over age 12. While there, maybe your students would like to opt for a fictional cover identity and engage in activities that would test their spy sills on a fictional undercover mission. There’s also a fun museum shop with a plethora of novelty items and clothing items for sale. Enjoy!