from Designer Jeans to Designer Genes

Do you remember when designer jeans came out? I was in fourth grade when Sassoon, Jordache and Gloria Vanderbilt's were all the rage. Special stitching on the pockets were a must. I was - or at least I felt like I was - the only girl in my class that did not have a pair and I knew I wasn't going to get a pair either. In my head I knew they were unnecessary. There was nothing about their jeans that meant they were better than mine but for some reason I still longed to know what it was like to wear a pair of those "special" jeans.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think 30 years later I would see the the transition from designer jeans to designer genes.

I preface all of this by saying I love science - specifically biology. I find it fascinating to learn how we work and function. I was passionate about seeing my students catch the fire. It was exhilarating to see them understand how the systems of the body work together, how the organelles of the cell all have specific roles and work together to synthesize and transport a protein. I enjoyed challenging them with what were cutting edge topics back then - the work on the Human Genome Project (which has now been completed) and the potential issues that the completion of this could catalyze in the future. We talked about ethics and science and the role that society plays in the utilization of scientific discoveries. This is where I get frustrated - not with science but with society.

Needless to say, it wasn't surprise that I felt when I read "Special Deliveries: Are designer babies arriving?"

I don't advocate that scientific research be stopped but how do we prevent ourselves from crossing the line? Can we say "no" even when gobs of money is dangled before our eyes and bank accounts? I think the track record for our society hasn't been very good in this area. How can that type of self-control be developed in our society? Is it even possible?

It causes me to think about my classroom - we'd circle the chairs around and discuss these topics. We hypothesized how society could be altered by designer genes into the "haves" and the "have-nots". My hope was to get them thinking about this information now because I knew that they would be the future doctors, politicians, moms, dads, business men and women, decision makers, nurses, etc. All of my former students are over 21 years old now. That's amazing to me. May their generation have a positive impact on our society and not be solely governed by the almighty dollar.

Regarding this topic...have we already passed the turn-back point on this slippery slope?

You can see what others are saying here.

Lesson of Financial Responsibility

Financial responsibility. It starts young. How young? Well, for Jeter it has already begun and I don't know exactly how we did it.

This morning Jeter informed me that he had a library fine at school. He was home sick Monday and Tuesday of last week and Monday was library day. When he returned to school on Wednesday he didn't think of it and no one reminded him. As a result, when he had library this week he was given a fine. Instead of sixty cents they only charged him forty cents - because technically he was out two days. He then told me that he took forty cents out of his bank in his room to pay for the fine.

Part of me wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault and to give him the forty cents. He is only seven and no one reminded him about his library book and the fact that he missed library day. But I stopped myself. He wasn't making excuses. He was accepting responsibility. I realized he needed to do this. Even though it was only forty cents - learning this now is ultimately an advantage to him and us.

Guess who is planning to add forty cents to Jeter's bank when he isn't around?