A science teacher from Dietrich is under investigation by the professional standards commission of the state of Idaho after parents complained about his teaching methods, according to The Magic Valley Times-News.
Neil Hollingshead, the Dietrich Superintendent, said that Tim McDaniel is under investigation after parents filed complaints about how McDaniel teaches the reproductive system.
“It is highly unlikely it would end with his dismissal,” Hollingshead said. “Maybe a letter of reprimand from the school board.”
McDaniel said that parents objected to him teaching the biology of an orgasm and used the word ‘vagina’ during the lesson on the reproductive system in a biology class for the tenth grade.
A letter from the Idaho State Department of Education to McDaniel outlined the allegations made against him. They include sharing confidential student documents with a person other than the students’ parents, teaching different forms of birth control, showing a video that depicted an infection of genital herpes and telling inappropriate jokes in class.
“I teach straight out of the textbook, I don’t include anything that the textbook doesn’t mention,” McDaniel said. “But I give every student the option not attend this class when I teach on the reproductive system if they don’t feel comfortable with the material.”
McDaniel said that he has taught this class for 18 years without a single complaint from parents or students. The complaint also accuses McDaniel of promoting a political candidate using school property because he showed “An Inconvenient Truth” in the science class.
“I’m not looking for one answer, I just want them to be able to explain what they believe,” he said.
“This sort of thing makes you worry about what you teach,” he said. “That’s not right.”
The Dietrich school board will also look into the complaint, according to Hollingshead. A decision by the board has yet to be made. McDaniel said he will not sign a letter of reprimand, saying it is unfair.
“I’ve done nothing wrong,” he said. “I told them I won’t sign it.”
