All this talk about the saffronisation of education reminds me of an incident that happened when I was in the sixth standard. I studied in a Catholic school that never hid its preference for Catholics and Anglo-Indians. It was history class and the teacher, Mrs Gopaldas, was introducing us to Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Now don't ask me what Darwin was doing in a history textbook; I know as much about it as the man himself. Mrs Gopaldas spoke to us very briefly about how all our ancestors were apes. Then she pointed at Charles Fernandez. "Charles, do you agree with your namesake?" "Miss?" "Charles, do you agree that mankind evolved from apes?" "What do you mean by 'evolved', miss?" "You were not listening, Charles, and that is why you were asked to answer." Now that I think of it, I don't think she asked Charles because he was not listening. Nor was it because Charles shared a first name with the great Darwin. Mrs Gopaldas wanted to make a point that day. She explained the theory in detail. She told us about the survival of the fittest and how Nature is an unforgiving mother. Then she came back to Charles. "Now tell me, Charles do you agree?" How could Charles disagree on a subject that Mrs Gopaldas had just so eloquently explained? "I agree, miss," said he. "Have you received the Holy Communion, Charles?" Mrs Gopaldas was a devout Catholic. "Yes, miss. I am a Catholic." "Then how can you agree, Charles? Does the Bible not say that we all evolved from Adam and Eve whom God created in His likeness?" "I am confused, miss. What you said now about evolution also sounds right." "You can sit, Charles." Then she addressed the class. "So boys, who is right -- Science or Religion?" There was mild pandemonium. Mrs Gopaldas called the class to order. "Let us have a show of hands." There were many that were for it, and an equal number that weren't. There were also some who did not vote either way. Mrs Gopaldas wasn't done. She returned to Charles and asked him to explain why he voted for science. "It sounds logical to me, miss," he said. "As you explained, it has been proved. Otherwise you would not have taught it in class today." "That is very beautifully put, Charles. Now can Paul Sathish explain why he thought the other opinion may be correct." "The Bible cannot be wrong, miss. It is the Lord's word. We are not learned enough to say that it is wrong." "Now Yuvaraj, you did not vote, why?" "I don't know, miss," Yuvaraj said. "Boys, science has this to say about how mankind evolved on this earth. It is actually against what I personally believe. But I cannot make fun of this theory while I teach it to you. "In life, you will see a lot which is actually different from what you have been taught and what you personally believe in. What you are taught in school may be very different from what you are told at home. "Today is an example where Catholics are encountering a scientific theory that may be against what is said in the Bible. "The correct answer, boys, is not always what the majority believes. The majority cannot decide on matters like these. Only personal opinion counts. Each one of you has to think for yourself and decide on what you want to believe in. "Some of you did not vote. You may not be sure of what to believe in. That is also okay. In life, you will have many more such situations where you don't have enough information to form an opinion. "Charles and Paul tried to explain to us why they thought their opinion was correct. Both sounded logical to us. In life, both sides of any discussion can be presented very convincingly. Just because something is presented well does not mean it is right." That is when the bell rang. School was over for the day. But Mrs Gopaldas was not finished. She waited patiently till we all quietened down. "Boys, you have all learnt something very important today. Will you all go home and discuss this with your father or mother?" "Yes, miss," we sang. "Class is over," she announced. I do not recollect discussing the issue with my parents. Darwin's theory was not important to me then. And I never thought about it till today. But when I recollect the incident now, I realise that it was not Darwin's theory that I had learnt that day. It was something else. It was a lesson on how to handle what kids should grow up believing. Mrs Gopaldas had put her heart into explaining a theory that she thought went against her religion. She could have easily explained it in brief for the sake of duty and debunked it at length. She had dared to be different. She had not decided what we kids should believe in. She gave us both sides of the picture. She asked us to think and decide for ourselves. She encouraged us to discuss it among ourselves. She showed us how to respect a different opinion. And I am sure her approach has in some measure contributed to creating a better individual out of an impressionable sixth standard student. READ HEMANTH'S OTHER DIARIES: A lesson learnt... fast! Much ado about nothing God save the Tamils! Tell us what you think of this diary Be part of an exciting venture! Write a Diary!
HOME | NEWS | CRICKET | MONEY | SPORTS | MOVIES | CHAT | BROADBAND | TRAVEL ASTROLOGY | NEWSLINKS | BOOK SHOP | MUSIC SHOP | GIFT SHOP | HOTEL BOOKINGS AIR/RAIL | WEDDING | ROMANCE | WEATHER | WOMEN | E-CARDS | SEARCH HOMEPAGES | FREE MESSENGER | FREE EMAIL | CONTESTS | FEEDBACK