My son, Jake, recently completed a science fair project in which he swabbed different kitchen surfaces, in two different kitchens, to compare and contrast the microorganisms found.  He was interested in learning whether a person's cleaning schedule resulted in more or less biological contamination.  He put in AT LEAST 40 hours into preparing, researching, and *doing* the project.  He refined his methodology until it was air tight and free of as many variables as possible. He went through draft after draft of his report until he got it just right.  And, he won second place at the school level.  This meant he was going on to the regional fair.  We filled out all the paperwork, sent in the fee, got him good and excited... today, he's told that he was disqualified before the fair even started because they added an addendum to their rules in the fall that said kids couldn't grow bacteria or molds in unapproved petri dishes. Only, the rule is NO WHERE on their website. I know because we read the rules before we started. And, hey...guess what? It wasn't even in the rule book when it was sent home so we could fill out a photographic release and microorganism use form (SIX MONTHS AFTER they claim they made the rule). NOTHING. And, not to mention the fact that he got through this entire process (us, teachers, SCIENCE FAIR JUDGES) without anyone saying a word until today.

Apparently, there was a meeting in August for the County's science fair coordinators. Our teacher was supposed to go, but her dad was having his leg cut off. No, seriously. At that meeting, the rule was added as an addendum. And, supposedly, an updated rule book was sent to each teacher. Which is interesting since SIX MONTHS LATER, when all the paperwork and rule books came home, this rule was STILL not in the book or the paperwork. 

The rule was allegedly made to protect participants from Staph and MRSA outbreaks.  I understand the concern, but making a blanket rule prohibiting a TYPE OF PROJECT is ridiculous.  I know Staph and MRSA.  I'm very familiar with them.  And, though it is the new ebola, it's not all that dangerous to people with healthy immune systems and you're not going to find it in spades in a regular, residential kitchen.  Furthermore, THE PETRI DISHES WERE NOT SUBMITTED WITH THE PROJECT.  There were pictures on the board, but no dishes.  Therefore, there was absolutely ZERO risk of transmission of anything to the science fair participants.  You'll catch more from using the bathroom at the arena than you would've caught from his project.  I hope the KCSOS is very careful about letting everyone attend the science fair in an enclosed space...after all, I hear meningitis is making it's way around Kern County.

But, wait...there's more. Jake's project would've been allowed if we had just bought prepared petri dishes from a special company in South Carolina. Of course, there's nothing that says that in the rule book or website. Apparently, the company in South Carolina sells culture medium that won't grow certain organisms because they've been treated with antibiotics. Which, don't you think that kind of defeats the purpose? I do. Apparently, being alarmist is part of the scientific method now.

In short...I have a kid who wasn't very into science before this project; who got excited BECAUSE he realized he COULD do science; who was supposed to go on to the Regional Fair; who is now in tears because his project was disqualified for a rule that no one at his school knew about and isn't published in any of the materials.

Way to go KCSOS!!! You've crushed a kid who was loving science and had put his heart and soul into the project to make it great. You've set limitations on science. You've championed your disorganized ways over what is right and fair for a child. You've also, in not well couched language, questioned the safety of my home and determined what parts of science we are allowed to explore with our child.

My son followed the rules as they were published. With the application of this stupid rule, you've punished my son for the failure of his school district, and his teacher, to properly spread information. Brilliant!!

...and we wonder why, as a country, we suck at science education. Unbelievable.