There have been a lot of individuals, particularly in education and politics, who push back on alternative perspectives or progressive ideas lately, and they do in the form of, "Where's the science?" or, "If you don't have specific research citations, then you're wrong and your perspective doesn't count." This is seriously flawed on many levels. In some ways, it's cowardly, too, because it allows us to avoid candid, uncomfortable conversations about what and why we teach the way we do, as well as the ego sting that comes with change that which we have associated our identity. The simple truth is that we don't have robust research on every little and great thing conscientious teachers do, and the science is not settled on a lot of the elements some claim as such. And quite often when teaching humans, the sterile, objective-data-only, devoid-of-local- context decisions made are the most harmful of all. So, let's be honest: Education research is a deeply valuable tool for successful teaching and growth, but wow, there are cautions against setting it upon an altar and never drifting from it. Here's my take on this, in case it helps: amle.org/the-problem-with-sh…