To the editor:
I was deeply saddened at the news of the end of Stan Roth's teaching career. I was a student in Mr. Roth's advanced biology class in '82, as was my sister 15 years earlier. We both learned a true appreciation of science from him, and neither of us objected to his method of teaching.
He did not tolerate slackers in his classroom, and disciplined the "hooligans" and "twits" accordingly. He taught in a way that generated enthusiasm for the subject, and he would not allow an uninterested student to ruin the lesson for those that really wanted to learn. We had to work hard for a good grade in his class, and it was well worth the work. We worked hard for our field trip to Florida as well, paying for it by collecting and recycling newspaper in a time when recycling was practically non-existent. His teaching extended far beyond the confines of the classroom.
Stan Roth should not have been demoted for his teaching methods. If I had a child entering high school, I would want them to be taught in the same enthusiastic but strict manner, and I'm sorry that future students will not have this opportunity. I hope that Lawrence high schools will not add to the embarrassment of the state of Kansas by disciplining some of the best teachers of evolution.
Amy Sudlow,
Lawrence.
Poor management
To the editor:
As I sat in Mr. Roth's biology and advanced biology classes he taught me one important thing: look at all the facts then form your hypothesis rather than looking at only one fact, it not only makes sense, but it is good science. Unfortunately, his "new" administration chose to look at only one fact, and many students are going to miss out on what he can teach them.
I always knew where I stood gradewise and knew what I had to do to improve. Unfortunately his past supervisors chose not to let him know how his job performance was until they sprung it on him at the last moment. This is the poorest form of management known and I am sorry he had to experience it. He deserves better.
John King,
Indianapolis, Ind.
Dedicated teacher
To the editor,
I graduated from Lawrence High School in 1968 and have many memories of my years there. Some of these memories are good and some not so good. I can remember a math teacher who thought coaching basketball was more important than teaching math, an American government teacher who thought teaching was telling the students to read the textbook and another teacher who thought denigrating students in public was a fun thing to do.
I can also remember those dedicated to teaching, to preparing their students for the future, to inspiring students to do their best. The person who stands out most among the dedicated was Stan Roth.
Stan demanded quality and attention. He did have a unique teaching style and did bounce erasers off the heads of sleeping students. I can remember one time he tried with me but I caught it and threw it back. I can also remember being scolded for not taking notes. I can also remember the lectures and field trips where he revealed the mysteries of God's creations; crawling through caves to investigate the wonders of a hidden world; assisting in various studies and the wonderful field trip to Florida which introduced ecology and life in the sea. The list goes on and on.
It is the teachers like Stan Roth who stand out as islands of excellence in a sea of mediocrity. Seeing Stan Roth treated so shabbily for expressing reality so clearly reminds me of Salem, Mass., in the late 17th century or of Galileo or Copernicus. To those who refuse to believe what science reveals about God's wondrous creation, I tell you that you had better not fly west too far or you might fall off the edge of the world. To the rest of you who live at the end of the second millenium in mind as well as body, I suggest that you protest the kind of antediluvian thinking demonstrated by the treatment of Stan Roth.
Now, as I get ready to fly back to Japan where I have lived for the last 18 years, I would like to express my thanks to Stan Roth for his years of dedication and my sorrow that the students will no longer be allowed to benefit from his unique type of teaching.
Daniel Moore
Yokohama, Japan.
Roth was mentor
To the editor:
I have known Mr. Roth since sixth grade when he helped launch my scientific career. He supplied planaria (flatworms) so that I could study regeneration for my school science fair project. My next encounter was during my freshman year at Lawrence High School. Mr. Roth allowed me to be one of his teacher's assistants, a position I held throughout high school.
It was not a glamorous job. I cleaned animal cages, fed and watered the animals in his menagerie, and helped prepare the classroom. I also saw Mr. Roth from a different perspective, an opportunity not afforded to all students. He has a gruff exterior, but cares deeply about science and his students. At least those students that try to learn about biology.
During my senior year, members of his advanced biology classes were rewarded with a trip to Hawaii if we were willing to carry out independent research projects and raise money to help pay for the trip. We collected tons of newspapers and hundreds of pounds of aluminum cans, had numerous bake sales, all in addition to our normal school requirements. He demanded a lot from his students and those willing to learn were rewarded in turn, not necessarily by good grades but through the very valuable lessons we learned about life and hard work.
I also participated in his field trips each summer. We climbed hills, explored caves, hiked for miles across the beautiful Kansas prairies, and learned about nature first hand. My first summer field trip with Mr. Roth and a group of fellow students was to southwestern Kansas in 1975. It was hard, but fun. I was not used to sleeping in a cave, climbing through bat guano, using the outdoors as my bathroom, or eating his concoction known as "campfire stew." However, I survived and went on additional trips each summer.
Mr. Roth is tough, demanding and rigid, but he is also kind, fair, and flexible. I have made my career in science and thank him for the jump-start. I consider him a friend and mentor and deeply respect him and the subject that he taught. Thank you, Mr. Roth!
Andrew Godwin,
Fox Chase Cancer Center,
Philadelphia.
Key to success
To the editor:
I would like to offer my thoughts concerning the dismissal of Stan Roth from the Lawrence public school system (LJW Aug. 30). I had the privilege of studying under Mr. Roth as a sophomore at Lawrence High in 1993-1994. I also accompanied Mr. Roth, his wife, and several other students on a 1995 research field trip to Hawaii. Currently, I am a senior studying English and art history at KU, and in all my years of study, both in Kansas and for one year in England, I can honestly say that Mr. Roth was the greatest teacher I've ever encountered.
Now, maybe I don't know what makes a great teacher, but if the definition includes motivating students to learn, challenging students to make use of their fullest potential, and offering students outside-the-classroom opportunities to further their academic interests, then Mr. Roth fits such a definition to the letter. Grades in Mr. Roth's class were earned -- if anyone has a problem with that system, then maybe the finger should be pointed at himself, not at Mr. Roth. After all, if the goal of an education is not learning through hard work, then what is it?
When I went with Mr. Roth to Hawaii, the experience changed my life. The trip taught me to open up, to use my mind in the real world of science. But besides science, I'm indebted to Mr. Roth for teaching me much, much more. He taught me how to simply study -- for any course. I learned to overcome my shyness as he encouraged positive group interaction. Yet, most of all Mr. Roth revealed to me what pure joy in learning looks like.
If a liberal arts major cites as his favorite teacher one from his high school's science department, I hope it impresses upon you how unique and valuable Mr. Roth is to the academic community. Thank you, Mr. Roth. For any successes I may have in my academic or professional lives, I owe a great part of them to you.
Joe Yockey,
Lawrence.
Kansas not so bad
To the editor:
Enough already! On July 28, the Lawrence Journal-World printed a survey by The Children's Rights Council ranking the best states in which to raise a child.
The first five states were the New England states. North Dakota was number six, Maryland number seven and Kansas number eight. Then came the evolution flap. School districts were given the option to teach evolution or not.
The news media and television commentators were quick to criticize Kansas for this decision. It is interesting to note that the people who criticized the most were from New York, ranked 34th. The folks from Texas, ranked 48th, had their say. Of course, we received the most information from our nation's capital, Washington D.C., ranked 51st.
Let's not get too uptight about this. Kansas, all in all, is a wonderful place to live.
G.C. Dunfield,
McLouth.
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