Opinions are opinions

When you write for the newspaper, you learn to develop a thick skin. I am reminded of this whenever I write a column about a potentially divisive topic. I will hear from some folks who support what I have to say and appreciate that I said it, and I also hear from folks who disagree with what I’ve said. Unfortunately, in most cases (not all), the folks who disagree with me choose to attack me personally. Disagreement is one thing; personal attacks are another.

My opinion column is just that — my opinion. As my fellow columnist Charles Reichley mentioned a few weeks ago, opinions are generally based on some research. Is it research that represents all sides of an issue? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

I will admit that when it comes to politics, I have certain pet issues and my opinions center around those issues. I don’t just look at Democrat or Republican; I am an issues driven person. When it comes to other things, I try to look at both sides of the issue. But I don’t always go to secondary research — opinions of others about the topic or internet articles I can’t trace the source of.

Most of the time I try to do primary research. This is what I’ve done with Math Investigations (MI). I “googled” the topic and looked through various sites. But then I got copies of the actual books in use and looked through them. And from that “investigation,” my own personal experience and my son’s experience, I arrived at my opinion.

When I looked into MI, I admit I have biases. I freely admitted these with the first column and was promptly personally insulted by several people. I think perhaps that these people forgot that I write about my opinions.

I give them credit for having their opinions and feeling strongly enough about them to write to me. It would never cross my mind, however, to make personal comments about these writers or to insinuate ulterior motives or to engage in rumor-mongering. But that is the price I gladly pay for voicing my opinion.

I read through all the e-mails I’m sent, whether they are positive or not. I try to look for an area of common ground; something that we can agree upon regardless of our beliefs.

One such idea was the notion that we cram too many concepts into mathematics education, especially at the early grades. Another was that there is too much use of calculators in the classroom.

I wholeheartedly agree with both these points. If we took the curriculum apart and looked at what was essential and had the elementary teachers teach only that, our children would have a better foundation when they reached middle school and beyond. This isn’t just a Virginia issue; it is a national issue.

It is a concern that is being studied by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, who feel a more streamlined curriculum would improve math scores and prevent us from falling further behind the world. This is an idea we can all agree on and should focus our efforts toward.

Two more comments I would like to make before I close today. First, thank you to the persons who corrected a mistake at the end of the column. I intended to write that we should see what the third grade SOL results look like this year, not the fifth. While I don’t believe that this mistake calls into question my integrity or reliability, mea culpa.

Second, I would like to address a comment made in a reader’s e-mail to me. The person summarized his impression of my column as meaning that parents shouldn’t have input into their children’s education. I wouldn’t characterize my opinion in that manner exactly. I believe that parents should and must be advocates for their children. But I do not believe that parents should be able to manipulate each and every decision a teacher or school or school system makes. At the risk of causing another uproar (and igniting another potentially divisive fire), I would use literature in the schools as a clearer example than MI.

I believe that specific literature is chosen for specific reasons and that I as a parent can question the reasons but not demand its removal. And please let me be clear — I am talking about books chosen for a curriculum. I feel as strongly about censorship as I do about the free expression of ideas and the need to at least be aware those ideas exist.

We are all aware that book challenges exist. There are numerous Web sites that list the books either banned or challenged. Many of these books deal with controversial but important topics. “Fahrenheit 451,” for example, has been challenged; ironic for a book that deals with censorship. “The Jungle,” challenged for its depiction of the meat packing industry. There are many others, but listing them all is not the point. The point is that there are some parents who may disagree with the ideas set forth in certain books, but it is important that these few do not make decisions for the many.

And now, I will go hide in my fire resistant cave and await whatever flames may come my way.

Denise Oppenhagen is a longtime resident of Prince William County and can be reached at {encode="DenOp1@comcast.net" title="DenOp1@comcast.net"}.