Note: Marshall
Trimble, a retired teacher, is opposing the reopening of the mineral museum and
its K-12 science education programs. The April 4 post includes false,
derogatory statements he made about the mineral museum on Channel 3.
Dear Mr. Trimble,
Dear Mr. Trimble,
“My name is
Raina and I am in sixth grade at East Valley Academy . I am also the only
student in my school who has ever seen the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum .
We used to go every year for a field trip and I remember the fluorescent rocks,
the big meteor, the moon rocks, the rock food exhibit, and many other beautiful
things. We learned so much from this museum and I miss it so much.
I am thankful that I had the experience to see it but am sad because my
classmates and all the other kids in Arizona will never be able to see this
museum again. Our teacher told us that the museum dates back to
territorial times and we cannot understand why it was taken away.”
“I am
Tiffany and am a sixth grader at East Valley Academy . I am one of the many
Arizona school students who have never been to the Arizona Mining and Mineral
Museum . Science and geology, in particular, are very interesting to me.
It is also an important subject for all Arizona students to be learning. This
museum gave kids and people of all ages the opportunity to learn about an
important part of Arizona ’s history and geology. Why is it now gone
(since 2010)? Our teacher told us that the centennial museum that was
planned to replace the AMMM never was developed and, meanwhile, a wonderful
museum has been taken away. This is just wrong. I’m sure the rest
of the kids in Arizona want it back as much as I do!”
“I am
Summer and I am in sixth grade at East Valley Academy . I never got to
see the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum but have heard many great things
about it. I love studying geology in school and I can’t understand why
our state government has allowed this to happen. I think Governor Ducey
should see to it that the AMMM is restored to the same place as it was.
That museum served 40,000 kids a year in Arizona . That many kids will
never see it again if it’s stuck in a university or some other museum nobody
ever visits. Everyone is always talking about how education is so important in
our state and then they destroy a great museum that goes back to territorial
days. All this state does is talk about Common Core and testing but museums
give kids a hands-on learning experience. Please restore the AMMM.”
“I am
Austin, a fourth grader at East Valley Academy and I would just like to say
that I think it’s a shame that 40,000 schools kids (including me) have been
robbed of a beautiful and educational museum that goes back to Arizona’s
territorial history. It was a great learning experience for people of all ages
so please restore it to its original place. I’d like to see it before I
get out of elementary school and I know lots of other kids who would too.”
Raina, Tiffany, Summer and Austin, it's wonderful to hear of your interest in earth science and geology. The Mining and Mineral Museum was such a special resource for students and teachers. I am so sorry that AZ students were treated so rudely by adults who should have known better. It is sad that our students were subjected to the dark side of politics. Supporters of the Mining and Mineral Museum are fighting to get it restored and returned to you. Thanks for your kind comments.
ReplyDeleteKudos to the kids,they are well-spoken and logical, unlike AHS and their leader Marshal Trimble. These and many many students who loved the Mining and Mineral Museum were treated as collateral damage during the Centennial. AHS was unable to plan during a recession and destroyed a historical science museum to honor our history! And now Mr. Trimble tells us all they need for science education is the two limited displays in an unattended history museum. AHS wants to keep the MMM closed, but after 5 years of producing little, it's clear they are satisfied keeping the kids as collateral damage! And we give them millions a year!!
ReplyDeleteLike many other students, these impressive students have a teacher who did use the MMM every year, and is still talking about how excellent it was. Certainly the kids and their teacher know much more about the state science standards than history teacher Mr. Trimble does.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of teachers and students who want the MMM back. Because Trimble's attack on the MMM was so lacking in facts, which is unbelievable for a historian, we may actually be helped by his blunder.
ReplyDeleteGiven what follows, you nailed it buy good!!
DeleteReally? You've stooped to fabricating letters from kids? You're so out of touch with children that you don't recognize that a kid would never write something that sounds like these! Even if directed by a misguided adult. You really need to get over this and move on.
ReplyDeleteI just received an E-mail from my friend and fellow teacher whose students you say don't exist. I have permission to quote her, and will add my comments. "These letters are not fabricated. You are so out of touch with kids that you don't know they study geology and government and know when they are being screwed. If you doubt their authenticity, I invite you to come and meet them." As a teacher, I know that teachers and students still talk about the MMM, especially about the real outdoor mining equipment, the fluorescent mineral display, and all of the displays about geology. We have bright and articulate students--even young ones, who need answers and their MMM back. Saying they don't exist, instead, is what we have come to expect from AHS. Please just get over it and accept the gracious invitation to go to East Valley Academy and meet these neat students.!!!
DeleteTo the East Valley Four: Don't be upset about the person who called your letters "fabrications". Now lots more people will read them and know that you do exist and are much more savvy about education that he/she is.
ReplyDeleteLaugh about being smarter that those who are trying to keep you out of the empty MMM with the mining equipment still there. They don't seem to understand the old adage: When you're in a hole, stop digging!
Dear Mr. Trimble, as a fellow educator I urge you, as President of the Arizona Historical Society, to listen to the pleas of teachers and students who want the Mining and Mineral Museum reopened. Your agency has the limited state budget that operated an incredible science museum by raising the rest of the money needed. Your agency shut the MMM down, and has kept the students out for the past five years. You now have the historic mining equipment sitting unused in Phoenix, while you brag about a modern diorama in Tempe. The disconnect is blatant. Teachers know that all students do not write as well as the East Valley Academy four, but most of our students also like geology and are hearing from their teachers what a wonderful resource the dismantled MMM was. Please give the building and it's contents back and get the AHS refocused on preserving history rather than destroying it. Our students deserve answers and thus far AHS's don't pass the truthful or logical test. In your position as President, you can help our students. AHS is the only agency opposing reopening the MMM in downtown Phoenix.
ReplyDeleteI e-mailed the teacher at EV Academy to find out more about their testing of the advanced students. She sent an answer that got my attention and again gave me permission to quote it.
ReplyDelete"My students, 4,5 and 6th graders, are taking a geology test on Mon. It includes 122 questions on igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, condrites,metals, ores, quartz, gemstones, fluorescence, volcanology, seismology, earth's core, plate tectonics, and the rock cycle."
She also indicated that their citizenship test is harder than the new one required by the state. She concludes with: "We run a (good) school and I welcome the blogger to meet these kids. I guarantee that he could no more pass this geology test, or any of our other tests, than the man in the moon."
I hope this helps all to understand that we do have very exceptional students like the EV Academy four, and they should never be snubbed nor should our other students. On behalf of the "four" I did speak with Dick this morning, and he said to tell them that the blog is going viral over their letters.