Is it worth saying something to the teacher?

[Anonymous]

PP here. Before I get jumped on, I obviously mean past presidents!

[Anonymous]

Have you tried asking DD how the parts were assigned? If everyone got to choose which group they were in and they just so happened to choose along gender lines (which is actually very plausible at that age) I'd be less inclined to say something than if teacher assigned parts and girls who might have wanted to play presidents got stuck sewing. I'd definitely say something if your dd in particular would have liked to have been in the president group.

[Anonymous]

What grade was this? Did any of the kids bring this topic up or is it just what you were thinking about?

[Anonymous]

Were the kids dressed in costume? Was this historical?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even if they were, what if only the white boys were allow to play presidents? That's historically accurate as well.

This. Girls can dress up like male presidents. No biggie.

[Anonymous]

It wasn't historical. It was songs, pledge of allegiance. The boys who did the President spiel all had a Lincoln like hat on their heads, made of paper. The boys were of varying races and ethnicities. So historical accuracy doesn't seem to be the issue here.

This is K. No one mentioned it. It is just my observation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It wasn't historical. It was songs, pledge of allegiance. The boys who did the President spiel all had a Lincoln like hat on their heads, made of paper. The boys were of varying races and ethnicities. So historical accuracy doesn't seem to be the issue here.

This is K. No one mentioned it. It is just my observation.

Unclench. You have twelve more years.

[Anonymous]

This may be close to the most ridiculous argument I have seen on this board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Were the boys each representing a past president? If so, then it's accurate.

Maybe they talked about that in class and have already talked about how life is different now.
Sometimes, reenacting the past can be a powerful tool to show how things have changed or should change.

If you have questions, talk to the teacher. But do it in a way that is respectful, and shows that you want to understand. Not just say that there should be girls in the president group. All us girls would like to have a real girl in the real president group, but the fact is - it hasn't happened yet. Maybe that's what the teacher wants the kids to think about.

There may be a lot more to the entire unit than just that performance-which is a snapshot of what they learned.

If you're into being historically accurate, teacher, then did you exclude the black boys from the boys/presidents group? What a dumb teacher.

[Anonymous]

This is just really bad teaching. My DD would definitely have noticed and internalized the message that girls aren't presidents. Nice. It would lead to yet another discussion about how teachers make mistakes and don't always make the best choices, and we do know better about some things than the teacher does.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm with you. Can't believe 00:01 is a teacher.

[Anonymous]

I just had a conversation with a K boy that I tutor this week about presidents. He asked if any girls had been president and I said no. He said that "wasn't fair and that the boys and girls should take turns being president"...hopefully the kids in your DDs class feel the same and didn't internalize any messages from the play.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if I'd say anything but I might read my kid Grace for President or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even if they were, what if only the white boys were allow to play presidents? That's historically accurate as well.

Meh. Race is a bit of a construct. If you go to a world class opera you will see parts being played by people of historically inaccurate races, and no one makes a fuss.

I am female. When I was in fifth grade and doing a history project, I dressed up as Jacques Cousteau. It was a hit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even if they were, what if only the white boys were allow to play presidents? That's historically accurate as well.

Meh. Race is a bit of a construct. If you go to a world class opera you will see parts being played by people of historically inaccurate races, and no one makes a fuss.

I am female. When I was in fifth grade and doing a history project, I dressed up as Jacques Cousteau. It was a hit.

There are people who will tell you gender is a construct too. And it sounds like you actually agree that if we're going to blur the race distinction historically, why not blur the gender one too. Especially if it avoids reinforcing the belief that only boys can be president. I would honestly just think this was a really dumb teacher.