Banned books at Jackson-Reed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this thread shows why the books were postponed.

How so? In what other context has DCPS ever shied away from difficult materials? Never, as far as I can tell. DCPS doubled down in teaching about racism after George Floyd. There was no pause due to “the conflict.”

[Anonymous]

Mods are removing posts that differentiate between Israel and the Holocaust. Makes me wonder if the mods also fail to understand the distinction.

Holocaust=extermination all Jews
Israel=country involved in conflict/war with Hamas

The people advocating to "take a break till things cool off" are suggesting these two things are related. If mods want to meet me at Holocaust museum I'm happy to educate them as well.

(And, yes, I expect mods to delete this post)

[Anonymous]

I asked Jeff to remove my post and the response.

[Anonymous]

This is all related in part to how the left cannot cope with free speech & the fact that Hamas is deeply anti-semitic at the same time that Gazan civilians are suffering from Israeli bombs and Hamas is terrorizing Israel. They just want there to be slogans where one side is obviously right and good, to the point where it can be openly advocated for even by public institutions like school as “social justice.”

But confronting an issue where there is actually more than one claim to justice? The wheels fall off! To the point that they cannot even deal with discussing it.

Truly pathetic, pathetic thing to see at what is supposedly the best HS in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is all related in part to how the left cannot cope with free speech & the fact that Hamas is deeply anti-semitic at the same time that Gazan civilians are suffering from Israeli bombs and Hamas is terrorizing Israel. They just want there to be slogans where one side is obviously right and good, to the point where it can be openly advocated for even by public institutions like school as “social justice.”

But confronting an issue where there is actually more than one claim to justice? The wheels fall off! To the point that they cannot even deal with discussing it.

Truly pathetic, pathetic thing to see at what is supposedly the best HS in DC.

I am to the "left" and I support Israel's right to existence, the right to criticize Hamas (and Israel) and do not believe in banning free speech. So, as we normally do in teaching--avoid sweeping generalizations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all related in part to how the left cannot cope with free speech & the fact that Hamas is deeply anti-semitic at the same time that Gazan civilians are suffering from Israeli bombs and Hamas is terrorizing Israel. They just want there to be slogans where one side is obviously right and good, to the point where it can be openly advocated for even by public institutions like school as “social justice.”

But confronting an issue where there is actually more than one claim to justice? The wheels fall off! To the point that they cannot even deal with discussing it.

Truly pathetic, pathetic thing to see at what is supposedly the best HS in DC.

I am to the "left" and I support Israel's right to existence, the right to criticize Hamas (and Israel) and do not believe in banning free speech. So, as we normally do in teaching--avoid sweeping generalizations.

Very few on the left have a consistent position on free speech. And Jackson-Reed evidently cannot cope with the existence of ambiguity. Maybe “left” isn’t exactly the right term - more the creeping politicization of curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Parents just received an email with announcements from Dr. Brown. Among the notes was this:

In staying genuine to my commitment to transparency, I wanted to clarify the intent behind the instructional decision to postpone a particular unit of study.

In October of 2023, the Jackson-Reed 10th grade English teachers proposed moving the ELA unit that includes Art Spiegelman's graphic novel Maus and Elie Wiesel's Night from Term 2 to Term 3 to allow our teachers to plan thoughtfully and intentionally around this unit, in light of the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war. I approved the proposed adjustment in support of teachers and provided them with the district-approved list of resources at the end of October.

As mentioned in the most recent eNews this week, there have been ongoing conversations between students, teachers, and staff about creating safe spaces to discuss the events that have unfolded since the beginning of the war. As part of our school-wide commitment to holding courageous discussions, the DCPS Equity Team will host a Professional Development workshop on January 2nd to provide additional strategies to ensure all educators feel equipped to facilitate difficult classroom conversations.

We will continue working thoughtfully with our teachers to ensure all students understand norms and expectations around productive classroom conversations. Students should feel safe sharing their ideas and opinions in any classroom, and teachers should feel confident facilitating discussions around difficult topics.

As we progress through this process, we are exploring opportunities to partner with outside organizations to support students and staff in having conversations about this topic. I look forward to working collaboratively with all Jackson-Reed stakeholders to ensure an inclusive and positive space for our community.

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain to me what historical fiction books about the Holocaust have in common with what is happening in Gaza today, other than that Jews are a party to both events? It is 100% possible to teach those books without being dragged into the current conflict. This is a cowardly decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain to me what historical fiction books about the Holocaust have in common with what is happening in Gaza today, other than that Jews are a party to both events? It is 100% possible to teach those books without being dragged into the current conflict. This is a cowardly decision.

They will be teaching the books. Read the post above yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain to me what historical fiction books about the Holocaust have in common with what is happening in Gaza today, other than that Jews are a party to both events? It is 100% possible to teach those books without being dragged into the current conflict. This is a cowardly decision.

They will be teaching the books. Read the post above yours.

The point is not that they will be teaching them eventually. The point is that they think the two events have anything to do with each other in the first place. What this letter from Jackson Reed doesn’t say is that the teachers are unable to address the topic of European Jewish Holocaust victims with empathy at the moment because of what’s happening in the Middle East. My elementary school aged dcps child attended a special seminar about racism soon after the George Floyd incident. Should that have been postponed to give him a “safe space” because he’s white?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is all related in part to how the left cannot cope with free speech & the fact that Hamas is deeply anti-semitic at the same time that Gazan civilians are suffering from Israeli bombs and Hamas is terrorizing Israel. They just want there to be slogans where one side is obviously right and good, to the point where it can be openly advocated for even by public institutions like school as “social justice.”

But confronting an issue where there is actually more than one claim to justice? The wheels fall off! To the point that they cannot even deal with discussing it.

Truly pathetic, pathetic thing to see at what is supposedly the best HS in DC.

+1

Cancelling the Holocaust discussion is no way to deal with a complex world

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the Jackson-Reed paper:

“ Additionally, the English ll curriculum has been restructured at Jackson-Reed due to sensitivity surrounding the conflict. Students were scheduled to begin their second unit directly after the events of October 7, where they would read “Night,” and “Maus,” two memoirs that depict the events of the Holocaust.

Five teachers met with Assistant Principal Marc Minsker, who oversees the English department, to discuss the delay of reading “Night and Maus.” Minsker said that teachers were struggling with how to teach “because [the conflict is] a sensitive topic right now.”

The department decided to postpone reading the books until tensions decreased. Minsker explained that he “thought it was thoughtful, and it wasn’t one person’s decision, but a discussion [that resulted in this change].”

Thanks for the actual info - so nothing was banned at all just more hyperbole from the Israel can't ever be criticized crowd.

As a J-R parent I'm surprised to learn that they are actually reading books in any English class - my kid is a junior and AFAIK has yet to read any books for any english class.

Yikes, really? You can’t see why this would be upsetting to Jewish parents and kids? The books are about *the Holocaust* not Israel and Palestine. And they still have not been taught. They were not “banned” but it is still confusing what JR thinks they are doing here. In no other context does DCPS say “maybe we should dial back potentially sensitive content.” In fact it’s been quite the opposite - I’m surprised where they go, even as early as 3rd grade.

I'm the earlier poster and I agree it is a fair question.

But the book was definitely not banned - that is a gross mischaracterization of what is going on.

And I don't want to go down this rabbit hole but there is no way to discuss a book about the holocaust and not get into the Israeli/Palestinian fight which after all had as its genesis the holocaust and now the Israelis are the party responsible for a horrific humanitarian crises.

Frankly I'd rather J-R have that discussion in a timely fashion so I don't personally agree that it should have been postponed but given that there is a chunk of folks who can't tolerate criticism of any kind of Israel right now I'm betting the teachers of this course breathed a big sign of relief that this discussion can be had in a time when hopefully emotions are tamped down and an honest discussion will be tolerated and that a HS teacher doesn't have to negotiate that minefield.

Was the book discussion delayed indefinitely because a "chunk of folks who can't tolerate criticism of any kind of Israel right "? Or because a chunk of folks aren't comfortable talking about Jews or Israel with empathy? I read that in a few places schools are cancelling the token Hannukah songs from holiday concerts because they are too "uncomfortable". That seems to me like answering anti-Semitism with more anti-Semitism.

Where did they cancel a Chanukka song?

[Anonymous]

This is terrible decision making. Postponing until what happens…when?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents just received an email with announcements from Dr. Brown. Among the notes was this:

In staying genuine to my commitment to transparency, I wanted to clarify the intent behind the instructional decision to postpone a particular unit of study.

In October of 2023, the Jackson-Reed 10th grade English teachers proposed moving the ELA unit that includes Art Spiegelman's graphic novel Maus and Elie Wiesel's Night from Term 2 to Term 3 to allow our teachers to plan thoughtfully and intentionally around this unit, in light of the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war. I approved the proposed adjustment in support of teachers and provided them with the district-approved list of resources at the end of October.

As mentioned in the most recent eNews this week, there have been ongoing conversations between students, teachers, and staff about creating safe spaces to discuss the events that have unfolded since the beginning of the war. As part of our school-wide commitment to holding courageous discussions, the DCPS Equity Team will host a Professional Development workshop on January 2nd to provide additional strategies to ensure all educators feel equipped to facilitate difficult classroom conversations.

We will continue working thoughtfully with our teachers to ensure all students understand norms and expectations around productive classroom conversations. Students should feel safe sharing their ideas and opinions in any classroom, and teachers should feel confident facilitating discussions around difficult topics.

As we progress through this process, we are exploring opportunities to partner with outside organizations to support students and staff in having conversations about this topic. I look forward to working collaboratively with all Jackson-Reed stakeholders to ensure an inclusive and positive space for our community.

pathetic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is terrible decision making. Postponing until what happens…when?

The email is awful. The principal cannot even bring himself to write the word “Jewish” or “antisemitism” or “Holocaust.” I can only conclude that all the blathering in that email does in fact indicate that he thinks there is something offensive about teaching the Holocaust that needs to be mitigated to provide a “safe space” to pro-Palestinians.

It’s not hard! Teach that the Holocaust happened.