Get a new Safety Committee.
GS
Theodore C. Crusberg wrote in message <7gs7bk$see$1 at bigboote.WPI.EDU>...
>I hope that this is not a hoax but I have to post this message which has
>some very serious implications for microbiology education. I hope that
>others reading this list from Massachusetts may be in a position to
>comment and/or investigate this allegation by one of my colleagues.
>>A member of the WPI Biology faculty today said that her daughter's State
>Projects Fair entry was disqualified because it involved microbiology
>(microbiology of Worcester (MA) municipal drinking water) and that all
>projects involving any bacteria have been denied access to the State
>Project Fair because the "Safety Committee" deemed these projects
>dangerous because all bacteria are potential pathogens. Since the 2
>projects at this particular school were disqualified the school was
>invited to send 6 other projects (presumably) because there has been a
>mass depletion of projects that involved the use of bacteria. The State
>Projects Fair does not involve children carrying bacterial plates with
>them but they report their findings in a poster presentation format.
>>This decision was retroactive. Children did not know when they began
>their project months ago about this problem. The decision by the "Safety
>Committee" came sometime last week it has been reported.
>>If this is true - what is there for us to do?.
>***************************************************************************
****
>Ted C. Crusberg, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology &
>Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester MA USA 01609
>Society for Industrial Microbiology-Education Committee
>Phone: 508-831-5472 Fax: 508-831-5936
>http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/Bio/People/crusberg.html>***************************************************************************
****
>
