Only in America: Policing anatomically correct words

A teacher is punished for saying "vagina" during sex ed — and more in our collection of strange revelations about the nation

Policing anatomically correct words
(Image credit: ThinkStock/iStockphoto)

An Idaho high school science teacher is being investigated by the state's professional standards commission for using the word "vagina" in a 10th grade biology class. Parents sparked the investigation by complaining that veteran teacher Tim McDaniel discussed women's private parts in a lesson on reproduction. "I don't teach anything the textbook doesn't mention," said a puzzled McDaniel.

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Samantha Rollins

Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.