MEET THE BAUMANN SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS
SCHOOLS
A private university in the public service
Faculty of Arts and Science
Department of Psychology
The Graduate Program in Experimental Psychology
6 Washington Place, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10003-6634
Mary Ann DiBari
105 Cross Pond Road
Pound Ridge, NY 10576
Dear Ms. Di Bari:
I have had a chance to look at your material, especially "Magic: The
Gathering." Here are my professional comments:
--The idea of using the game
"Magic" to teach Mathematics or special kinds of rational thought
seems to me absurd. Before the application of any such game to Math, or
another subject, considerable published research justifying its effectiveness is
necessary. The absence of such research
is another example of the increasingly unprofessional nature of so much American
education. The United
States has one of the lowest Mathematics achievement levels in the developed
world. Such a program may help us understand why.
--The likelihood that the "Magic" program re-enforces irrational and
superstitious mental operations is a serious issue. The scientific community in
the United States is increasingly aroused by the growth of hostility to reason
in our society. Magic programs like this may be one of the sources of the rise
in contemporary irrationality. If so, it is most unwise for the schools to be
contributing to this.
--It would not surprise me if the imagery and plot structures of
"Magic" had a pro-witchcraft and pro-pagan agenda, and it undermined
traditional religious worldviews (whether Christian, Jewish or Islamic) in those
who used it regularly.
Sincerely,
Paul C. Vitz
Professor of Psychology