A recent poll of 11,000 teenagers showed that the vast majority of them felt that science was important to society but that scientists were “brainy people not like them”.
Around 70% of the 11-15 year olds questioned said they did not picture scientists as “normal young and attractive men and women”.
They found around 80% of pupils thought scientists did “very important work” and 70% thought they worked “creatively and imaginatively”. Only 40% said they agreed that scientists did “boring and repetitive work”.
Over three quarters of the respondents thought scientists were “really brainy people”.
The survey was conducted by the Science Learning Centre in London and the kids were British, of course. It would be interesting to see how American students answered the same questions.
Just a guess but the numbers saying scientist do “very important work” would probably be lower.
Why shouldn’t they believe that science is for someone else.
Look at the children of the previous Democrat candidates for president.
1. Walter Mondale- Daughter is an Actress.
2. Dukakis- Son is an Actor.
3. Clinton-Chelsea is a rainmaker at a consulting firm.
4. Gore-Daughter went to law school.
5. Kerry-Daughter went to film school.
The leadership of this country keeps telling people that science is for other people but not for the own children (exception being Kerry’s daughter who went to medical school).
You could make almost the same claim for the Republicans (look at the Bush twins).
Let’s not forget George Bush I, whose sons have all the science literacy of Paris Hilton and far less scientific curiosity than most three year olds.
There’s no “almost” about it. Lack of support for science and science education by our “leaders” is piss poor regardless of which political party they worship at. The current Republican administration has simply taken it to a new low.
I guess you should also pick on Bob Dole’s daughter who was a lobbyist, the Reagan Children who were actors and a radio talk show host.
It used to be that the children of the rich want to be industrialist or at least finance types. Now more of them want to be actors, night club owners, or lawyers.
I guess that is why the elite support unlimited immigration. Since they don’t know anyone who does technical work they believe that such people need to be imported. I also believe that is why so many progressive politicians talk much more about critical thinking, citizenship training or community service than learning algebra.
As always, I really don’t get the connections you’re trying to make.
And when are you going to start your own blog??!