I went to a high school that had science fiction 1,2 and 3 in their Lit programs.
Being a Lit major I jumped right in to these classes.
Our teachers were retired writers and story editors who'd worked in the genre, it was a priceless experience for us as students.
The teachers always taught us that Science Fiction would have been more aptly named "Science Future".
Science Fiction is about visionary thinking, conservatives call it daydreaming. If not for those of us who had the desire to dream they wouldn't have any of the modern conviences they enjoy today.(Yes Autos, Airplanes, Submarines, spacecraft etc.. etc... all were "dreamed" of by science fiction writers then brought about by those who read those stories.)
Arthue C. Clarke helped develop Radar during WWII, then went on to head up the development of satelite communications, a concept he "dreamed" up.
Asimov helped develop the measurements used in the medical profession as well as inventing the circular slide rule.
The list goes on and on.
Just look at the membership of the L5 society it reads like a who's who of inventors and discoverers.
Science Fiction is all about "what if"
Unlike the SciFi channel which is all about "naaah".