> My experience with high school biology was similar, though that might have been that particular teacher. He was close to retirement and while he could have identified most plants in the region, he could not answer most of my questions about biochemistry.
That's a totally different problem. Nobody can expect a teacher (or scientist, or ...) to be equally interested in all subfields. Of course, they should know "what is needed" - whatever that means, for example to teach the part of biochemistry that is in the curriculum.
I, as a mathematician, for example don't care much about statistics or number theory. As somebody generally interested in biology I don't care about biochemistry.
So, as long as he didn't just say "fuck off", you can't blame your teacher for liking something else than you did.
That's a totally different problem. Nobody can expect a teacher (or scientist, or ...) to be equally interested in all subfields. Of course, they should know "what is needed" - whatever that means, for example to teach the part of biochemistry that is in the curriculum. I, as a mathematician, for example don't care much about statistics or number theory. As somebody generally interested in biology I don't care about biochemistry. So, as long as he didn't just say "fuck off", you can't blame your teacher for liking something else than you did.