Banned books at Jackson-Reed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dude I do not want DCPS teachers to stumble into this. It is NOT every day that something you teach has huge moral relevance. I want teachers who can get the kids to see that an attempted genocide and a response to a terrorist attack are not the same, and are armed to leave good distinctions in kids’ minds even if there are cheap comparisons to be made.

Yeah war begets war, got it. Was pacifism or international intervention going to save European Jewish people? Would it save Israel? If self defense is justifiable and attacks on people for their nationhood or identity are wrong, what are justifiable responses? What are correct lessons to learn from people othering and killing their neighbors?

These are not bullshit. It doesn’t take much to realize teachers might need to be prepared.

It’s an English class, not a history class. I think the teachers can handle talking about eg how Maus uses illustrations and anthropomorphism for a new way to tell the story. If not maybe the problem is that DCPS teachers have become confused about what they are teaching. Hint - they are teaching the English curriculum, not “how to be an activist.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even if the administrators are well-meaning and want to protect teachers, prepare their instruction and not push a pro-Palestinian agenda, it’s still an awful move. It’s offensive and yet again isolates the Jewish narrative as expendable.

To not understand the optics of removing Holocaust literature from the curricula shows they operate in an echo chamber that ignores Jewish suffering and doesn’t care about antisemitic trends. I’ve always noticed but never particularly cared about the large Christmas trees displayed at dcps schools. But it’s clearly part of a larger problem.

If you are determined to feel insulted, no matter what, then go ahead I guess. No one can stop you from freaking out. For the last time, they are not removing the content, just postponing it. I highly recommend you listen to the Ezra Klein podcast. He has a thoughtful deliberate approach and well reasoned analysis and avoids jumping to hysterical conclusions.

Principal Brown could not even articulate what the actual concern was. As far as anyone knows he’s going to include “resources” that equate Zionism with Nazi-ism for “context.” The fact he, he and the English teachers are pathetic cowards who cannot figure out an appropriate way to teach Maus, including handling any questions that may come up about Israel. This seriously comes close to me taking JR off my list for my child. My child’s T1 middle school can handle teaching very difficult material - not sure why the flagship DCPS HS cannot. Come on. Pathetic!

There are many reasons for taking JR off the list including the risk of a sub-par education but this is not one of them

[Anonymous]

Can anyone share insights into how the school community is reacting? Any comments from Jewish teachers, if there are any?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:JR did the right thing. You all are freaking out about nothing. And the title of this thread is deliberately misleading which is disgusting to me. I agree that JR can handle sensitive discussions between students and teachers but parents often suck and cause problems where none exist

The parents aren’t freaking out. The teachers freaked out unnecessarily and therein lies the problem and implicit bias here. What parents would have freaked out or caused a fuss if they went ahead with the lesson on time about the Holocaust as planned? What would the objection have been?No one has yet to tell me what the Holocaust has to do with the current situation in Gaza. Go ahead - I’ll wait.

Yes - the parents are freaking out and they are the ones causing the problems here. Coupled with the fact that DCPS Central refuses to give any guidance which the school wants so they know they are covered. I put this one squarely on parents who don't want their kids to be upset. I am totally against antisemitism but hard discussions can happen. Look at our political divisions - no one can actually listen to the other side and consider their points.

There. Are. Not. Two. Sides. To. The. Holocaust. Why is this so hard for so many of you?

No one has suggested there are two sides to the Holocaust. And do was has equated Israel's actions to the Nazis -- that's a straw man argument.

But there are a range of views on the specific issues in the current Israel/Hamas conflict.

For example, a PP earlier in the thread has said the "truth" is that Israel "is not deliberately targeting civilians." Yet people do have different views on what level of collateral damage is acceptable when responding to terrorism -- where is the line between unavoidable and negligent?

There are not clear answers to that, and if the idea is that Israel's government and policies are above question due to past history, then a community-wide conversation is not possible.

Ok …. but the “postponed”
books are about the Holocaust. Not Israel. Not Gaza.

It’s starting to dawn on me that people actually believe that deploring the Holocaust is the same thing as Zionism.

This was discussed above. It's obtuse to think the Holocaust can be discussed at this time without also discussing current events.

I'm fine with both getting discussed. Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that the same people who are offended by any postponement of the Holocaust books would also be upset with hearing diverse perspectives about the current conflict.

But the Jewish parents are not the ones suggesting the books should be postponed, so maybe you're wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone share insights into how the school community is reacting? Any comments from Jewish teachers, if there are any?

We have a current student and the first I heard about this “controversy” was here on DCUM.

Also, I am not sure why OP is now so incensed as the only thing I saw mentioning this after doing some research was a November Beacon article about it.

Not sure why OP was not so incensed back in October when the decision was made or even November when the Beacon wrote about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone share insights into how the school community is reacting? Any comments from Jewish teachers, if there are any?

We have a current student and the first I heard about this “controversy” was here on DCUM.

Also, I am not sure why OP is now so incensed as the only thing I saw mentioning this after doing some research was a November Beacon article about it.

Not sure why OP was not so incensed back in October when the decision was made or even November when the Beacon wrote about it.

The Post mentioned it in a broader story about similar decisions around the country that published last week, which is probably how this thread got started.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best are the “allies” on here telling Jews that our real enemies are the right wing nuts when most of us find the groupthink dems much more dangerous to our children’s future and the safety of Jews worldwide.

Would you dare tell Black Americans where to focus *their* criticism and activism? Lecture them on who to trust?

Don’t bring Black Americans into this. Our history continues to be erased in many school systems minus a great deal of outrage. Slavery was a good thing according to some new textbooks.

[Anonymous]

With a 10th grader at JR and a DCPS teacher, I looked at the curriculum out of curiosity. The unit essential questions follow.

How do authors’ uses of rhetorical appeals, literary devices, and methods of development strengthen the persuasiveness of their messages?
How does point of view affect our perception of an event and shape the way we tell a story?
How is tone effectively used in text to reveal the writer's point of view and argument?
How can we prevent future atrocities through acknowledging and remembering the events of our past?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best are the “allies” on here telling Jews that our real enemies are the right wing nuts when most of us find the groupthink dems much more dangerous to our children’s future and the safety of Jews worldwide.

Would you dare tell Black Americans where to focus *their* criticism and activism? Lecture them on who to trust?

Don’t bring Black Americans into this. Our history continues to be erased in many school systems minus a great deal of outrage. Slavery was a good thing according to some new textbooks.

Not in DCPS!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With a 10th grader at JR and a DCPS teacher, I looked at the curriculum out of curiosity. The unit essential questions follow.

How do authors’ uses of rhetorical appeals, literary devices, and methods of development strengthen the persuasiveness of their messages?
How does point of view affect our perception of an event and shape the way we tell a story?
How is tone effectively used in text to reveal the writer's point of view and argument?
How can we prevent future atrocities through acknowledging and remembering the events of our past?

Any teacher who cannot handle that discussion of Maus (including the last one) is a pretty terrible teacher. But I guess if JR teachers have to get an update on Holocaust denialism then so be it. I also personally think it is a mistake to naively politicize English class, and now we see why.

[Anonymous]

DD attends a different DCPS high school and they are reading Night with no issues that I’ve been made aware of. The teacher said they will also do a bit of Maus, but not the entire book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best are the “allies” on here telling Jews that our real enemies are the right wing nuts when most of us find the groupthink dems much more dangerous to our children’s future and the safety of Jews worldwide.

Would you dare tell Black Americans where to focus *their* criticism and activism? Lecture them on who to trust?

Don’t bring Black Americans into this. Our history continues to be erased in many school systems minus a great deal of outrage. Slavery was a good thing according to some new textbooks.

Not in DCPS!

Exactly. Here it's the precise opposite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With a 10th grader at JR and a DCPS teacher, I looked at the curriculum out of curiosity. The unit essential questions follow.

How do authors’ uses of rhetorical appeals, literary devices, and methods of development strengthen the persuasiveness of their messages?
How does point of view affect our perception of an event and shape the way we tell a story?
How is tone effectively used in text to reveal the writer's point of view and argument?
How can we prevent future atrocities through acknowledging and remembering the events of our past?

This is such an important question, especially right now. And I 100% understand why teachers want to be careful and thoughtful about how they lead that conversation, especially right now.

As a Jewish person who has done Holocaust research, including interviewing survivors, I know how resistant many Jewish people are to the idea of comparing the Holocaust to other genocides. And I know that many Zionist Jewish people are particularly resistant to the idea that what’s happening in now in Gaza is or could become a genocide, and that for some the very idea or discussion of that is tantamount to anti-Semitism. It’s very difficult as a teacher to wade into that, knowing that there is a small but insistent group of students and parents who will not only not acknowledge that atrocities are being committed in Gaza right now but also will not tolerate any discussion of the current situation in Gaza in the context of genocide. And then you also have the small but insistent group of antisemitic students who will use the current situation in Gaza to attempt to erase or justify the Holocaust.

Thank you PP for sharing the discussion questions. Seeing them demonstrates that DCPS (appropriately) expects discussion of literature of the Holocaust to be connected to broader context and that there is no way to address at least the fourth question without opening the discussion to what’s currently happening in Gaza. And while I wish this conversation were one we could have without special preparation, I respect the teachers’ desire to ensure they have the resources and support they and students will need to have a productive and thoughtful conversation in the current environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With a 10th grader at JR and a DCPS teacher, I looked at the curriculum out of curiosity. The unit essential questions follow.

How do authors’ uses of rhetorical appeals, literary devices, and methods of development strengthen the persuasiveness of their messages?
How does point of view affect our perception of an event and shape the way we tell a story?
How is tone effectively used in text to reveal the writer's point of view and argument?
How can we prevent future atrocities through acknowledging and remembering the events of our past?

This is such an important question, especially right now. And I 100% understand why teachers want to be careful and thoughtful about how they lead that conversation, especially right now.

As a Jewish person who has done Holocaust research, including interviewing survivors, I know how resistant many Jewish people are to the idea of comparing the Holocaust to other genocides. And I know that many Zionist Jewish people are particularly resistant to the idea that what’s happening in now in Gaza is or could become a genocide, and that for some the very idea or discussion of that is tantamount to anti-Semitism. It’s very difficult as a teacher to wade into that, knowing that there is a small but insistent group of students and parents who will not only not acknowledge that atrocities are being committed in Gaza right now but also will not tolerate any discussion of the current situation in Gaza in the context of genocide. And then you also have the small but insistent group of antisemitic students who will use the current situation in Gaza to attempt to erase or justify the Holocaust.

Thank you PP for sharing the discussion questions. Seeing them demonstrates that DCPS (appropriately) expects discussion of literature of the Holocaust to be connected to broader context and that there is no way to address at least the fourth question without opening the discussion to what’s currently happening in Gaza. And while I wish this conversation were one we could have without special preparation, I respect the teachers’ desire to ensure they have the resources and support they and students will need to have a productive and thoughtful conversation in the current environment.

Mic drop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So in response to the Israel/Hamas war, Jackson-Reed decides to respond by....wait for it....DROPPING Maus and Night from the curriculum until further notice.....Let me understand this, the response to anti-Semitism is "best not talk about anything Jewish"? We are living in scary times, folks. Right-wing book-banning parents, meet need-more-context-to-talk-about-the-Holocaust-right-now school administrators. https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023...israel-gaza-protest/

Wow. DCPS has gone full MAGA.