Brickbat: Just Asking Questions

Dracut Public Schools in Massachusetts has placed a high school teacher on leave after the teacher, who wasn't named, gave students the "Sexual Temperament Questionnaire." The survey, which Superintendent Steven Stone called "highly inappropriate," asked students how much they agreed with statements such as "Unless things are 'just right' it is difficult for me to become sexually aroused"; "When I am sexually aroused, the slightest thing can turn me off"; "Having sex in a different setting than usual is a real turn on for me"; and "I get very turned on when someone wants me sexually."

Comments

[Adans smith]

Two questions. Was this a female teacher and is she hot?

[D-Pizzle]

Nice.....

[m4019597]

I’m sure Nambla and ENB will stand with the teacher.

[Ed Heyn]

To be fair, pedophile apologia has been an integral part of libertarianism ever since the term was invented.

[American Mongrel]

People think being attracted to 19 year olds is pedophilia these days. See: david ellefson saga.

[Trollificus]

Don't they want to follow the science?? Or has peak breeding age, and hence peak attractiveness age, been evolved out of??

Throughout human history and across cultures, it's been under 18. That age is an arbitrary one imposed by first world cultures. Leading to the characterization of someone who has sex with a 17 year old as a "child molester". Thus conflating normal human biological reaction to young sexually mature people with abuse of actual children, which is indeed awful.

Never mind. We can throw this in "Bin of Unused "Honest Discussions"" along with the race one.

[mad.casual]

Or has peak breeding age, and hence peak attractiveness age, been evolved out of??

This makes no sense. It's like saying the only reason cherries bloom in the spring is so the mall in DC looks good. Evolutionarily-speaking, there is no 'peak age/attractiveness'. Species that breed without regard to age will outcompete those that don't, species that breed without regard to attractiveness will outcompete those that don't.

[Rossami]

re: "species that breed without regard to attractiveness will outcompete those that don’t"

That is categorically untrue. In fact, the evidence demonstrates that all species capable of exhibiting choice do so and thrive because of it. Attractiveness is a proxy for health. Selecting mates without regard to their state of health is a recipe for failure.

Ditto for selection on the basis of age - again, because age is a proxy for reproductive health.

Plants don't select on the basis of age or attractiveness. Essentially all animals, on the other hand, do select on those bases. If the act of selection was reproductively counter-productive, it would not be so universal in the animal kingdom.

[ananimasu]

Evolutionary competition is primarily among individuals, not among species. Choosing an attractive mate is adaptive because your offspring are more likely to be attractive. Choosing a younger or older mate has consequences for number and quality of offspring, especially assuming monogamy.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland]

My guess is the teacher had a vacation planned, so the picked something that wouldn't get them fired, but get them placed on paid leave

[Jerry B.]

Or else they were looking for company on their vacation.

[Certification Deal]

Thanks for sharig such a nice idea

[perlhaqr]

Found the teacher.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"I read the questions on Facebook—somebody posted the survey—and I think none of the questions were [sic] appropriate."

That's not a {sic/i>]able 'were'. AP stylebook once again does editors wrong.

Also, hope those kids never find the internet.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

Grammar pendants claim "none" is singular, a contraction of "not one", thus the verb is wrong.

[Brandybuck]

Gold pendants suitable for the grammar pedant in your life. Also spelling.

[Unicorn Abattoir]

Also, spelling.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Tori or Aaron?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Incorrect. None is when referring to parts of a whole. None are when referencing any of a group.

"None of that pie is yours."

"None of those pies are yours."

[m4019597]

Should’ve been “are.”

The questions continue to exist, so they’re not past tense (“were”).

[Earth Skeptic]

“Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?”

[Stuck in California]

Who picks the stock photos for these stories?

Sometimes they're pretty generic, but this one is spot on and hilarious.

[Think It Through]

Regardless of grammar pedantry, the [sic] is inappropriate. [Sic] should be used when an author uses a quote, and one of two results would happen with no [sic]: (1) the quote would be confusing or say something other than what is intended; or (2) the reader would think the author is the one who made a typo or wrote down the wrong word.

Here, no meaning is lost if you leave out the [sic]. Incorrect grammar is understood every single day, no need to [sic] it.

[Utkonos]

In other news one of our local Bay Area counties just revised its COVID death toll DOWNWARD by 25% https://www.newsbreakapp.com/n/0aMTWDJv?pd=05vSRvT0&lang=en_US&s=i0

[m4019597]

Not clicking that. Just provide more detail.

[JParker]

Two questions:

1) What was the course in which the questionnaire was distributed? That could make a huge difference in how appropriate it was to distribute.

2) Was the questionnaire simply distributed, or were the students pressured to turn in the completed results, or to discuss it in class?

There's a vast difference between handing this out in a psychology or human sexuality course for individual consideration, and a math or physics course where the results needed to be turned in for a grade.

[m4019597]

The class is for children. High school children.

There’s no way this is remotely appropriate.