Why don't they teach about MLK in school?

[Anonymous]

I have a kid in catholic school and one in public and both schools covered him extensively. Not sure what you're talking about...

[Anonymous]

I was at a PTA meeting last school year (at an MCPS ES) and a woman complained to the principal that the variety of the teaching regrading Black History Month wasn't enough for her preference. For full disclaimer: that parent is black; I am white.

I don't quiz my kids on what they are taught on the "non" math/reading stuff, but know they get into Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights movement.

This particular woman's words were something like "My son says it's the same thing, every year. We need to add to the program! We need to get kids more into the history!" She obviously didn't think the school did enough to teach new things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This particular woman's words were something like "My son says it's the same thing, every year. We need to add to the program! We need to get kids more into the history!" She obviously didn't think the school did enough to teach new things.

This is my opinion too, actually. (I am white.) The lesson every year is, "There was segregation, and that was bad, and then Ruby Bridges went to school, and Rosa Parks sat on a bus, and Martin Luther King Jr. said, "I have a dream", and then everybody had civil rights." This is appropriate for kindergarteners, but I think that fifth graders would be ready for a bit more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We lived in a foreign country where every year in elementary, starting in Kindergarten, there were many lessons in school on Martin Luther King, Jr., and his legacy. He was regarded as an international hero. Sometimes they spent days learning, discussing, and doing projects related to MLK. Now, since we moved here, my child reports only brief mentions on the announcements, if that, in late elem and middle school.

Something seems wrong with this picture.

OK - first of all my son's PRE-K (!) taught them about MLK.

Second, while MLK was a hero, there are many MANY other heroic people of color to study - women, too!!!

So I'm tired of people thinking their kids know all about Civil Rights b/c they studied MLK for a day.

Let's expand our world, peeps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We lived in a foreign country where every year in elementary, starting in Kindergarten, there were many lessons in school on Martin Luther King, Jr., and his legacy. He was regarded as an international hero. Sometimes they spent days learning, discussing, and doing projects related to MLK. Now, since we moved here, my child reports only brief mentions on the announcements, if that, in late elem and middle school.

Something seems wrong with this picture.

OK - first of all my son's PRE-K (!) taught them about MLK.

Second, while MLK was a hero, there are many MANY other heroic people of color to study - women, too!!!

So I'm tired of people thinking their kids know all about Civil Rights b/c they studied MLK for a day.

Let's expand our world, peeps!

My daughter is in private and they just finished Raisin in The Sun and she did an oral presentation on Ida B Wells and everyone else in her class did another civil rights pioneer or leader. It was awesome! When she was in public, they have never once mentioned or brought home anything on MLK or anyone else for that matter. Her 2 younger siblings in public both haven't brought home or mentioned anything. I guess it depends on the school or the teacher. I think they are so focused on the curriculum they can't step outside too much to have days of discussion or understanding.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Yes, PP, that's what I observe. In our previous school system my child learned about MLK, Rosa Park, Malcolm X, and others. These were not cursory lessons on MLK but extended learning and discussion. I hope Black History Month yields some good learning opportunities but I'm not holding my breath. There is so much anxiety in MCPS schools about performance on the big tests and the numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I stand corrected. It must just be the schools we have been involved with. Lost opportunity for a lot of kids at these particular schools.

My kids haven't done anything MLK related either this year - it was mentioned on the morning announcements. Same last year. Also MCPS.

We've bought our kids books and yesterday took them to the MC volunteer event to have a day of service.

[Anonymous]

My question is: will they ever stop expanding the role of MLK.

[Anonymous]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/29/1011562/-Most-of-you-have-no-idea-what-Martin-Luther-King-actually-did#

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Yes, PP, that's what I observe. In our previous school system my child learned about MLK, Rosa Park, Malcolm X, and others. These were not cursory lessons on MLK but extended learning and discussion. I hope Black History Month yields some good learning opportunities but I'm not holding my breath. There is so much anxiety in MCPS schools about performance on the big tests and the numbers.

Which country/school system? You mentioned in a previous post that it was in a different country. Which one?

[Anonymous]

It is irrelevant which country. My post is about my surprise that a public school in a foreign country does a much better job, by leaps and bounds, of annually teaching and celebrating the legacy of an American hero than a supposedly top notch school system in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because February is MLK month. DUH.

It is not MLK month. It is black history month. DUH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My question is: will they ever stop expanding the role of MLK.

Never. By 2050 people will think that he was a president.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, this lack of focus on black people bugs me too. In my daughter's first grade class each week one kid gets to bring a book, and she brought in a Ruby Bridges book. The teacher said, "Oh, we'll talk about that in February."

Wtf..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids have had lessons re. MLK since Kindergarten.

Not sure what you are talking about.

+1. My kids learned about MLK every year in elementary school. I've heard very liberal parents complain that they love the MLK lessons, but maybe the schools could mix it up some years and teach a little bit about other famous Americans too.