do you know a lot of people who are leaving DCPS next year?

[Anonymous]

Universities are changing up their cannon of literature too. Having your child mired down in the way you learned things; the way your read things is not going to help them.

I mean if that is your goal - to have them well rounded, well read, successful.

Maybe if folks here read more than to Kill a Mockingbird they would be better at life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, many in upper NW. Its more than just how DCPS has handled the pandemic though. It’s also how critical race theory has overtaken the curriculum in just about every subject. I want my kids to learn about our not so great history. But the constant indoctrination that my family achieved everything through “privilege” and that we are all surely closet racists has become too much.

+1

+2

+3
I'm sure I'll be crucified for saying this but I would like my kids to read one book (a single book) before graduation that is not about race or slavery. Every single ELA book at Deal (for 3 years) has been about this. The same went for 4th and 5th grades at our JKLM.
My kid has learned nothing about anything else (except for math and science) for the past 5 years.

+1000. We're bailing at the end of elementary for DCPS. Our Asian family never wants to hear another word about Black History Month. We want our children to learn about ancient civilizations, modern history, great literature, anything but more MLK, Rosa Parks and the rest. Enough already of progressive humanities (read abysmal instruction in the humanities). Crucify me with PP above, so she has company.

What school is this? Our kids learn about MLK, Rosa Parks, etc in Kinder and more and more folks throughout the year; we also have robust reads on Asian Americans, Latinos, etc.

Its really impressive the library looks like the school/US in terms. Not all slavery and oppression but sometimes that is part of the story. If you don't look at the whole picture your kids will look like fools in college.

DP. I’m actually fine with the strong emphasis on social justice but I am really disappointed in how DCPS thinks it is going to achieve that by endless platitudes and random facts. I want a strong history and social science curriculum that will teach kids and not just assume they will adopt the top-level messaging delivered by adults. As it stands now DCPS is engaged in equity at the BLM yard-sign level. Kids know when they are being propagandized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, many in upper NW. Its more than just how DCPS has handled the pandemic though. It’s also how critical race theory has overtaken the curriculum in just about every subject. I want my kids to learn about our not so great history. But the constant indoctrination that my family achieved everything through “privilege” and that we are all surely closet racists has become too much.

+1

+2

+3
I'm sure I'll be crucified for saying this but I would like my kids to read one book (a single book) before graduation that is not about race or slavery. Every single ELA book at Deal (for 3 years) has been about this. The same went for 4th and 5th grades at our JKLM.
My kid has learned nothing about anything else (except for math and science) for the past 5 years.

+1000. We're bailing at the end of elementary for DCPS. Our Asian family never wants to hear another word about Black History Month. We want our children to learn about ancient civilizations, modern history, great literature, anything but more MLK, Rosa Parks and the rest. Enough already of progressive humanities (read abysmal instruction in the humanities). Crucify me with PP above, so she has company.

There’s a lot of nonsense and racism in these posts, so I hesitate to respond. But it’s important to call out distortions and outright lies. The social studies curriculum in 7th and 9th grade is 100% ancient civilizations. 8th grade is US history. As others have noted, the MS and HS literature curriculum includes “white canon” like Shakespeare, To Kill a Mockingbird, Beowulf, and Call of the Wild alongside literature from non-white authors, like Fences, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, and Warriors Don’t Cry.

This is what a well-rounded education in the humanities looks like. It’s different from what most of us had, and thank goodness for that.

[Anonymous]

I know of three families so far. All rising 6th graders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, many in upper NW. Its more than just how DCPS has handled the pandemic though. It’s also how critical race theory has overtaken the curriculum in just about every subject. I want my kids to learn about our not so great history. But the constant indoctrination that my family achieved everything through “privilege” and that we are all surely closet racists has become too much.

+1

+2

+3
I'm sure I'll be crucified for saying this but I would like my kids to read one book (a single book) before graduation that is not about race or slavery. Every single ELA book at Deal (for 3 years) has been about this. The same went for 4th and 5th grades at our JKLM.
My kid has learned nothing about anything else (except for math and science) for the past 5 years.

+1000. We're bailing at the end of elementary for DCPS. Our Asian family never wants to hear another word about Black History Month. We want our children to learn about ancient civilizations, modern history, great literature, anything but more MLK, Rosa Parks and the rest. Enough already of progressive humanities (read abysmal instruction in the humanities). Crucify me with PP above, so she has company.

There’s a lot of nonsense and racism in these posts, so I hesitate to respond. But it’s important to call out distortions and outright lies. The social studies curriculum in 7th and 9th grade is 100% ancient civilizations. 8th grade is US history. As others have noted, the MS and HS literature curriculum includes “white canon” like Shakespeare, To Kill a Mockingbird, Beowulf, and Call of the Wild alongside literature from non-white authors, like Fences, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, and Warriors Don’t Cry.

This is what a well-rounded education in the humanities looks like. It’s different from what most of us had, and thank goodness for that.

Yes! And what’s wrong with literature reflecting the culture your kid is living in? When I was in HS in the 80s in the Southwest, we read the classic plus Chicano and Native American Lit...because that’s where we lived! I would be upset if my kid only got “old white guy lit!” I say this as someone with an undergrad degree in Classics!

[Anonymous]

The implementation of the DCPS humanities curriculum seems to vary a great deal from program to program, particularly at the elementary school level.

Yes, some schools really pile on Black history, particularly those with many older teachers.

I'm not happy that DCPS teaches very little grammar in the upper elementary grades and MS. Not impressed. We're leaving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, many in upper NW. Its more than just how DCPS has handled the pandemic though. It’s also how critical race theory has overtaken the curriculum in just about every subject. I want my kids to learn about our not so great history. But the constant indoctrination that my family achieved everything through “privilege” and that we are all surely closet racists has become too much.

+1

+2

+3
I'm sure I'll be crucified for saying this but I would like my kids to read one book (a single book) before graduation that is not about race or slavery. Every single ELA book at Deal (for 3 years) has been about this. The same went for 4th and 5th grades at our JKLM.
My kid has learned nothing about anything else (except for math and science) for the past 5 years.

+1000. We're bailing at the end of elementary for DCPS. Our Asian family never wants to hear another word about Black History Month. We want our children to learn about ancient civilizations, modern history, great literature, anything but more MLK, Rosa Parks and the rest. Enough already of progressive humanities (read abysmal instruction in the humanities). Crucify me with PP above, so she has company.

There’s a lot of nonsense and racism in these posts, so I hesitate to respond. But it’s important to call out distortions and outright lies. The social studies curriculum in 7th and 9th grade is 100% ancient civilizations. 8th grade is US history. As others have noted, the MS and HS literature curriculum includes “white canon” like Shakespeare, To Kill a Mockingbird, Beowulf, and Call of the Wild alongside literature from non-white authors, like Fences, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, and Warriors Don’t Cry.

This is what a well-rounded education in the humanities looks like. It’s different from what most of us had, and thank goodness for that.

Yes! And what’s wrong with literature reflecting the culture your kid is living in? When I was in HS in the 80s in the Southwest, we read the classic plus Chicano and Native American Lit...because that’s where we lived! I would be upset if my kid only got “old white guy lit!” I say this as someone with an undergrad degree in Classics!

My kids live in a highly diverse DC neighborhood that's mostly white. Nonetheless, Black History month is celebrated with much fanfare at their school, while other histories are pretty much ignored. It's silly but parents don't complain for obvious reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Universities are changing up their cannon of literature too. Having your child mired down in the way you learned things; the way your read things is not going to help them.

I mean if that is your goal - to have them well rounded, well read, successful.

Maybe if folks here read more than to Kill a Mockingbird they would be better at life.

Why do people keep harping on one book among many in years of lit classes? Every book has its place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, many in upper NW. Its more than just how DCPS has handled the pandemic though. It’s also how critical race theory has overtaken the curriculum in just about every subject. I want my kids to learn about our not so great history. But the constant indoctrination that my family achieved everything through “privilege” and that we are all surely closet racists has become too much.

+1

+2

+3
I'm sure I'll be crucified for saying this but I would like my kids to read one book (a single book) before graduation that is not about race or slavery. Every single ELA book at Deal (for 3 years) has been about this. The same went for 4th and 5th grades at our JKLM.
My kid has learned nothing about anything else (except for math and science) for the past 5 years.

+1000. We're bailing at the end of elementary for DCPS. Our Asian family never wants to hear another word about Black History Month. We want our children to learn about ancient civilizations, modern history, great literature, anything but more MLK, Rosa Parks and the rest. Enough already of progressive humanities (read abysmal instruction in the humanities). Crucify me with PP above, so she has company.

There’s a lot of nonsense and racism in these posts, so I hesitate to respond. But it’s important to call out distortions and outright lies. The social studies curriculum in 7th and 9th grade is 100% ancient civilizations. 8th grade is US history. As others have noted, the MS and HS literature curriculum includes “white canon” like Shakespeare, To Kill a Mockingbird, Beowulf, and Call of the Wild alongside literature from non-white authors, like Fences, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, and Warriors Don’t Cry.

This is what a well-rounded education in the humanities looks like. It’s different from what most of us had, and thank goodness for that.

I agree. The +3 poster is not telling the truth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, many in upper NW. Its more than just how DCPS has handled the pandemic though. It’s also how critical race theory has overtaken the curriculum in just about every subject. I want my kids to learn about our not so great history. But the constant indoctrination that my family achieved everything through “privilege” and that we are all surely closet racists has become too much.

+1

+2

+3
I'm sure I'll be crucified for saying this but I would like my kids to read one book (a single book) before graduation that is not about race or slavery. Every single ELA book at Deal (for 3 years) has been about this. The same went for 4th and 5th grades at our JKLM.
My kid has learned nothing about anything else (except for math and science) for the past 5 years.

+1000. We're bailing at the end of elementary for DCPS. Our Asian family never wants to hear another word about Black History Month. We want our children to learn about ancient civilizations, modern history, great literature, anything but more MLK, Rosa Parks and the rest. Enough already of progressive humanities (read abysmal instruction in the humanities). Crucify me with PP above, so she has company.

There’s a lot of nonsense and racism in these posts, so I hesitate to respond. But it’s important to call out distortions and outright lies. The social studies curriculum in 7th and 9th grade is 100% ancient civilizations. 8th grade is US history. As others have noted, the MS and HS literature curriculum includes “white canon” like Shakespeare, To Kill a Mockingbird, Beowulf, and Call of the Wild alongside literature from non-white authors, like Fences, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, and Warriors Don’t Cry.

This is what a well-rounded education in the humanities looks like. It’s different from what most of us had, and thank goodness for that.

Yes! And what’s wrong with literature reflecting the culture your kid is living in? When I was in HS in the 80s in the Southwest, we read the classic plus Chicano and Native American Lit...because that’s where we lived! I would be upset if my kid only got “old white guy lit!” I say this as someone with an undergrad degree in Classics!

My kids live in a highly diverse DC neighborhood that's mostly white. Nonetheless, Black History month is celebrated with much fanfare at their school, while other histories are pretty much ignored. It's silly but parents don't complain for obvious reasons.

I don’t worry I’m sure they get plenty of white culture at home. A month of black history (in a city that was black majority for years) won’t kill them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Universities are changing up their cannon of literature too. Having your child mired down in the way you learned things; the way your read things is not going to help them.

I mean if that is your goal - to have them well rounded, well read, successful.

Maybe if folks here read more than to Kill a Mockingbird they would be better at life.

Why do people keep harping on one book among many in years of lit classes? Every book has its place.

Because there is thread about that book in the Privates forum at the moment.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think this was the point of this thread. But I know lots of teachers leaving, not so many kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Universities are changing up their cannon of literature too. Having your child mired down in the way you learned things; the way your read things is not going to help them.

I mean if that is your goal - to have them well rounded, well read, successful.

Maybe if folks here read more than to Kill a Mockingbird they would be better at life.

Why do people keep harping on one book among many in years of lit classes? Every book has its place.

Because there is thread about that book in the Privates forum at the moment.

Meh. Societal norms change all the time. There are books my grandparents read in school that I didn’t. Time goes on... Kids can read them in their free time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, many in upper NW. Its more than just how DCPS has handled the pandemic though. It’s also how critical race theory has overtaken the curriculum in just about every subject. I want my kids to learn about our not so great history. But the constant indoctrination that my family achieved everything through “privilege” and that we are all surely closet racists has become too much.

+1

+2

+3
I'm sure I'll be crucified for saying this but I would like my kids to read one book (a single book) before graduation that is not about race or slavery. Every single ELA book at Deal (for 3 years) has been about this. The same went for 4th and 5th grades at our JKLM.
My kid has learned nothing about anything else (except for math and science) for the past 5 years.

+1000. We're bailing at the end of elementary for DCPS. Our Asian family never wants to hear another word about Black History Month. We want our children to learn about ancient civilizations, modern history, great literature, anything but more MLK, Rosa Parks and the rest. Enough already of progressive humanities (read abysmal instruction in the humanities). Crucify me with PP above, so she has company.

There’s a lot of nonsense and racism in these posts, so I hesitate to respond. But it’s important to call out distortions and outright lies. The social studies curriculum in 7th and 9th grade is 100% ancient civilizations. 8th grade is US history. As others have noted, the MS and HS literature curriculum includes “white canon” like Shakespeare, To Kill a Mockingbird, Beowulf, and Call of the Wild alongside literature from non-white authors, like Fences, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, and Warriors Don’t Cry.

This is what a well-rounded education in the humanities looks like. It’s different from what most of us had, and thank goodness for that.

Yes! And what’s wrong with literature reflecting the culture your kid is living in? When I was in HS in the 80s in the Southwest, we read the classic plus Chicano and Native American Lit...because that’s where we lived! I would be upset if my kid only got “old white guy lit!” I say this as someone with an undergrad degree in Classics!

Literature should be from different times and cultures. The idea that a PP suggested above that an emphasis on local culture makes literature “more engaging” is flawed.

The beauty of good fiction and narrative non-fiction is that it is relatable in a way that transcends cultures. You could read a story about an old man in China or a little kid in Africa and “get” their experience. You could travel there and see their home environment and try to talk to them with translation and still not “get it.” But good writing can make the connection and show the universality of the human experience.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Can’t unsee what I’ve seen this year. We are removing our daughter from this worthless scam designed for teachers, not kids.