We all use the wrong word from time to time. In conversation it's often inevitable. But government edicts are rarely issued without ministerial approval, so it came as quite a surprise to see the word "boffins" used in publicity for the latest government scheme to entice scientists into teaching.
The Transition to Teaching scheme is supposed to encourage "career switchers" with scientific expertise into teaching "in a bid to make kids love science and make the UK more competitive".
As such, schools minister Jim Knight called for "boffins such as scientists, mathematicians, IT experts and engineers to move into the classroom and pass on their experience and enthusiasm".
Way to win them over! (And reach its target of 25% of science teachers with a physics specialism by 2014, compared to 19% now; 31% with chemistry, compared to 25% now; and 95% of maths lessons to be taught by maths specialists.)
Why stop there? Why not call them eggheads, nerdish sciencey types or how about geeks in white anoraks? Honestly, you think they'd know better.
As if it's not hard enough to get scientists - who have potentially very lucrative careers ahead of them - into teaching.
Still, if being called a boffin doesn't deter them then next week's pay settlement likely will. Unions are expecting any increase to be paltry.
