Finally, we have a President who not only believes in science but wants to improve science education. After eight years of the science isn't conclusive, evolution didn't happen and scientists afraid to speak out about their research, President Obama is a breath of fresh air. He's even having the first White House Science Fair tomorrow to honor kids who've won an array of national science competitions.

But what I worry about is although this administration came in with the best of intentions towards improving science education, it inherited such an incredible economic and other kinds of mess, it's almost impossible to make science an immediate priority.

Both of my kids are in Maryland schools that have magnet math and science programs. Neither of them are in them. And I still I hear, even in a high school like Montgomery Blair that sent half a dozen kids to MIT last year, a couple of them with big scholarships, that in regular science classes not much beyond the textbook and what they have to learn to graduate, is being taught. 

Oh they are getting enough science so they can take the tests they have to take to get into college, but there's nothing inspiring or particularly interesting about the way the science is taught.  In English and AP Government my son is reading and analyzing classic literature and debating issues like whether or not immigration law should be reformed. Chemistry is memorizing formulas.  In middle school science, my daughter's experience seems to follow that of my son, they do a science fair project and watch videos. 

My point is it seems to me that although there is a renewed focus on science education, they're preaching to the choir. The kids who are getting picked or choosing to go to visits from scientists, lunches with famous ones etc.,  are having their love of science enriched. Bravo.

But what about everyone else? I went to a scientist's presentation recently that was absolutely fascinating. He was a representative from a team of about 100 researchers working around the world on improving artificial limbs by taking advantage of new brain research and technology that allows them to see exactly which parts of the brain function when it wants to do something with the hand and arm. They're calling it a bionic arm which doesn't really mean anything, but people can remember it.

What did it take for the science teacher to get roughly a dozen kids from her two chemistry classes to show up? She bought them pizza.

So is President Obama good for science? He has the right goals. But the process of changing the way the schools approach teaching science and just getting elementary schools to teach it at all,  is going to take major alterations in our education system. That's a long, slow process that I don't think has really begun yet.