I find very interesting the parallels and anti-parallels between these situations: reader-journalist, on the one hand, student-teacher on the other. What role for the messenger? With respect to truth-telling, journalistic ambivalence is widely seen as an atavism: the raison-d’etre of the messenger is to guide readers to the best available understanding of reality. When it comes to a teacher’s role in the classroom, however, it would appear that no such consensus has been reached.
journalist asks, should we be “truth vigilantes?” public says, obviously!
academic asks, should teachers correct fallacious, faith-based reasoning? public says, whoa, easy!
read all about it here at joshua fost’s fantastic blog.