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.