Cheesy Jobs

And you thought your job sucks...

The last three months have been rough for many of
Kansas' nearly 650 high school biology teachers. In
October, "Kansas biology teacher" made the top 10 in
Popular Science magazine's annual list of the "Worst
Jobs in Science." It came in at No. 3, surpassed only
by animal "Manure Inspector" and the worst job of all:
"Human Lab Rat."

. . .

A survey of science teachers in March by the National
Science Teachers Association found 31 percent felt
pressured to include creationism, intelligent design or
other non-scientific alternatives to evolution in their
classes; an equal number felt pushed to de-emphasize
or omit evolution. Teachers said the pressure comes
from parents and students, not administrators.

In the case of Kansas, ridicule is coming from all sides.
"How do you feel when you say, ‘I'm Ken Bingman and
I've been teaching biology for 43 years and I'm from
Kansas,'" and you are greeted by peals of laughter,
said Bingman, recalling a regional meeting of the NSTA
in early December "It's pretty sad."