Dear Editor,

A recent column in The Branding Iron criticizing public education in Wyoming suggested graduates of the College of Education are inferior students who major in education after failing in other disciplines:  “[I]f a student can’t cut it as an engineer, he moves to a business major.  If he can’t hack it in the business department, he becomes a political science major, and, finally, if he fails political science, he becomes a teacher.”  Whatever the columnist’s intention might have been, this comment is insulting to the columnist’s fellow students.  Political Science students and Education students are specifically identified as being academically inferior to those of other majors.  The facts do not support this.

Each year the College of Arts and Sciences honors its twenty Outstanding Graduates. Eight Political Science students have received this honor over the past five years. This is the second highest total among the 25 departments and programs of A&S.

Each year UW bestows the Rosemarie Martha Spitaleri Award and the Tobin Memorial Award to the outstanding graduating woman and man, respectively.

Seven Political Science students have been finalists for these honors over the past five years. This is the highest total among all UW departments and programs. Two of our students, Colter Kinner and Travis Jordan, were recipients, making Political Science one of only two departments with multiple recipients of these awards.

It is acceptable to engage in debate on any public policy, including the performance of public education.  It is unacceptable to characterize students as people “who couldn’t make it in any other field” simply because of their choice of academic major. Students of many different majors—but especially Political Science majors and Education majors—are due an apology.

Jim King

Head of Department of Political Science