GDS high school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a recent GDS. It is great to read this forum and hear things said out loud that I can’t imagine ever being said at the school (without consequences for your kid). The teachers are amazing. The rest was not. The thought/speech police are very effective at teaching kids to not express any view other than the school’s. To the PP above my child made great friends but the atmosphere impacts social relationships. Kids know they can’t really engage in dialog even with their peers on some subjects.

I ran into a beloved teacher recently who said the HS administration had become very difficult to deal with in the last few years and the teacher was thinking of leaving. If my kid were applying today I would worry about the impact the HS administration will have on teacher retention.

Same here. Have had two go through already and have one left in HS. This is the worst I’ve ever seen GDS admin in our nearly 15 years here.

Teacher morale in high school is at an all time low based on some beloved long time teachers I’ve spoken to.

I know for a fact there are at least 3 adored long time teachers in HS who have decided to not return next year. In hushed tones, they all blame one person for their decision. They are tired of her too. They say others are tired too. I fear this will be a heavy year for teacher departures. One of these teachers has been so instrumental to the lives of my kids that I would be personally heartbroken if they left.

The rot starts at the top.

When will Russell start paying attention to what’s happening at the high school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a recent GDS. It is great to read this forum and hear things said out loud that I can’t imagine ever being said at the school (without consequences for your kid). The teachers are amazing. The rest was not. The thought/speech police are very effective at teaching kids to not express any view other than the school’s. To the PP above my child made great friends but the atmosphere impacts social relationships. Kids know they can’t really engage in dialog even with their peers on some subjects.

I ran into a beloved teacher recently who said the HS administration had become very difficult to deal with in the last few years and the teacher was thinking of leaving. If my kid were applying today I would worry about the impact the HS administration will have on teacher retention.

Our lifer gds grad last couple of years faced the same. Kid is a centrist who truly didn’t want to engage in non stop political debates but was constantly asked to in so many classes and interactions socially.

The atmosphere really harmed this kid’s ability to feel like they could have meaningful interactions w many of their peers - kid was scared of saying the wrong thing constantly even in group chats in the forum after class. Left with a few good friends but just a few.

Kid’s lasting impression of GDS is that it was run by thought police run amok.
Kid has the most fond remembrance of some of his teachers and mostly disdain for the HS head, the DEI officers and the myriad policies instituted 2021-2023 that made the place a far worse environment.

Luckily having a blast in college but has no warm spot for gds generally speaking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a recent GDS. It is great to read this forum and hear things said out loud that I can’t imagine ever being said at the school (without consequences for your kid). The teachers are amazing. The rest was not. The thought/speech police are very effective at teaching kids to not express any view other than the school’s. To the PP above my child made great friends but the atmosphere impacts social relationships. Kids know they can’t really engage in dialog even with their peers on some subjects.

I ran into a beloved teacher recently who said the HS administration had become very difficult to deal with in the last few years and the teacher was thinking of leaving. If my kid were applying today I would worry about the impact the HS administration will have on teacher retention.

Our lifer gds grad last couple of years faced the same. Kid is a centrist who truly didn’t want to engage in non stop political debates but was constantly asked to in so many classes and interactions socially.

The atmosphere really harmed this kid’s ability to feel like they could have meaningful interactions w many of their peers - kid was scared of saying the wrong thing constantly even in group chats in the forum after class. Left with a few good friends but just a few.

Kid’s lasting impression of GDS is that it was run by thought police run amok.
Kid has the most fond remembrance of some of his teachers and mostly disdain for the HS head, the DEI officers and the myriad policies instituted 2021-2023 that made the place a far worse environment.

Luckily having a blast in college but has no warm spot for gds generally speaking.

Parent of a GDS senior and this unfortunately is our experience. Our kid was put through the ringer for something harmless they said that was not the "GDS way", taken out of context and anonymously and inaccurately reported. Our kid was already feeling the inability to not have free and meaningful conversations amongst peers and teachers but this incident took it to the next level. We were warned to not bother challenging the HS administration and when we tried I was met with the typical GDS non-response, no one would take ownership or give me a straight answer including the HS principal. We finally gave up and our senior just stays under the radar, looking forward to graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And it’s all the truth. Believe every bit of it.

Yeah, it's so "true" that no one in this thread can name the specific contrary opinions that are supposedly being reported to the DEI office.

There was one just a few weeks ago. A long standing teacher reading a very famous author who wrote some charged words in his work. Boom. Teacher turned into DEI office by the form submitted anonymously by a hs student. Forced to ritually self immolate

He read the passage out loud in a book the academic department had assigned. Yes the passage contained a word that is considered deeply offensive in 2024. The teacher even warned the class before he read it.

And yet, teacher was reported. The administrative state began its investigation. Called the teacher in. An apology was forced to be sent in writing to the entire class by the teacher. That apology was sent around the school.

This happens frequently. God forbid you say “slave” in a class about slavery instead of “enslaved person”. You know the form will be used. And the kid who said slave in proper historic context will be called in.

To be clear, there are a very small number of kids who do this. But they are around. And everyone knows them. And the entire DEI apparatus at the school serves to empower these 1-2 kids per classroom

Was the student censoring "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" or "To Kill a Mockingbird"? Will they be banning those books now?

Think it might have been 'Song of Solomon". I honestly think kids at that age often have a level of righteous indignation and are in the process of learning to advocate, yet haven't learned to pick their battles yet. Learning how and when to speak up is a skill that high school students are still mastering. I like that GDS helps students find their voice and situations like this are a learning experience for everyone.

A Toni Morrison book got a DEI warning and the teacher had to immolate themselves in front of their students? That doesn't seem like a positive learning experience for anyone.

Wait, was it the n word then, and not the word slave? I am still trying to figure out what was found objectionable. Can someone please just say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a recent GDS. It is great to read this forum and hear things said out loud that I can’t imagine ever being said at the school (without consequences for your kid). The teachers are amazing. The rest was not. The thought/speech police are very effective at teaching kids to not express any view other than the school’s. To the PP above my child made great friends but the atmosphere impacts social relationships. Kids know they can’t really engage in dialog even with their peers on some subjects.

I ran into a beloved teacher recently who said the HS administration had become very difficult to deal with in the last few years and the teacher was thinking of leaving. If my kid were applying today I would worry about the impact the HS administration will have on teacher retention.

Our lifer gds grad last couple of years faced the same. Kid is a centrist who truly didn’t want to engage in non stop political debates but was constantly asked to in so many classes and interactions socially.

The atmosphere really harmed this kid’s ability to feel like they could have meaningful interactions w many of their peers - kid was scared of saying the wrong thing constantly even in group chats in the forum after class. Left with a few good friends but just a few.

Kid’s lasting impression of GDS is that it was run by thought police run amok.
Kid has the most fond remembrance of some of his teachers and mostly disdain for the HS head, the DEI officers and the myriad policies instituted 2021-2023 that made the place a far worse environment.

Luckily having a blast in college but has no warm spot for gds generally speaking.

Parent of a GDS senior and this unfortunately is our experience. Our kid was put through the wringer for something harmless they said that was not the "GDS way", taken out of context and anonymously and inaccurately reported. Our kid was already feeling the inability to not have free and meaningful conversations amongst peers and teachers but this incident took it to the next level. We were warned to not bother challenging the HS administration and when we tried I was met with the typical GDS non-response, no one would take ownership or give me a straight answer including the HS principal. We finally gave up and our senior just stays under the radar, looking forward to graduation.

So sorry your kid went through this. I’ve been through a few things with this administration and the prior principal. With the prior one, at least she had the decency to respond to me and call me. And could make decisions on the spot.

This one pushes everything down to her number 2 who himself mostly cites that things are above his pay grade and not in his control.

It’s crap management 101 wrapped in GDS nice nice talk. God forbid a parent needs something or a response. Then everyone shuts down and says nothing can be done. Don’t bother. It’s our way. You agreed to it in the manual. Stop asking.

I can’t imagine what the teacher employees must go through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And it’s all the truth. Believe every bit of it.

Yeah, it's so "true" that no one in this thread can name the specific contrary opinions that are supposedly being reported to the DEI office.

There was one just a few weeks ago. A long standing teacher reading a very famous author who wrote some charged words in his work. Boom. Teacher turned into DEI office by the form submitted anonymously by a hs student. Forced to ritually self immolate

He read the passage out loud in a book the academic department had assigned. Yes the passage contained a word that is considered deeply offensive in 2024. The teacher even warned the class before he read it.

And yet, teacher was reported. The administrative state began its investigation. Called the teacher in. An apology was forced to be sent in writing to the entire class by the teacher. That apology was sent around the school.

This happens frequently. God forbid you say “slave” in a class about slavery instead of “enslaved person”. You know the form will be used. And the kid who said slave in proper historic context will be called in.

To be clear, there are a very small number of kids who do this. But they are around. And everyone knows them. And the entire DEI apparatus at the school serves to empower these 1-2 kids per classroom

Was the student censoring "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" or "To Kill a Mockingbird"? Will they be banning those books now?

Think it might have been 'Song of Solomon". I honestly think kids at that age often have a level of righteous indignation and are in the process of learning to advocate, yet haven't learned to pick their battles yet. Learning how and when to speak up is a skill that high school students are still mastering. I like that GDS helps students find their voice and situations like this are a learning experience for everyone.

A Toni Morrison book got a DEI warning and the teacher had to immolate themselves in front of their students? That doesn't seem like a positive learning experience for anyone.

Wait, was it the n word then, and not the word slave? I am still trying to figure out what was found objectionable. Can someone please just say?

Song of Solomon. warned students he would be reading a passage in original w n word and did it. Explained why he was doing it. Despite the warning, he got reported and was in trouble.

[Anonymous]

A Toni Morrison book.

GDS has lost its way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And it’s all the truth. Believe every bit of it.

Yeah, it's so "true" that no one in this thread can name the specific contrary opinions that are supposedly being reported to the DEI office.

There was one just a few weeks ago. A long standing teacher reading a very famous author who wrote some charged words in his work. Boom. Teacher turned into DEI office by the form submitted anonymously by a hs student. Forced to ritually self immolate

He read the passage out loud in a book the academic department had assigned. Yes the passage contained a word that is considered deeply offensive in 2024. The teacher even warned the class before he read it.

And yet, teacher was reported. The administrative state began its investigation. Called the teacher in. An apology was forced to be sent in writing to the entire class by the teacher. That apology was sent around the school.

This happens frequently. God forbid you say “slave” in a class about slavery instead of “enslaved person”. You know the form will be used. And the kid who said slave in proper historic context will be called in.

To be clear, there are a very small number of kids who do this. But they are around. And everyone knows them. And the entire DEI apparatus at the school serves to empower these 1-2 kids per classroom

Was the student censoring "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" or "To Kill a Mockingbird"? Will they be banning those books now?

Think it might have been 'Song of Solomon". I honestly think kids at that age often have a level of righteous indignation and are in the process of learning to advocate, yet haven't learned to pick their battles yet. Learning how and when to speak up is a skill that high school students are still mastering. I like that GDS helps students find their voice and situations like this are a learning experience for everyone.

A Toni Morrison book got a DEI warning and the teacher had to immolate themselves in front of their students? That doesn't seem like a positive learning experience for anyone.

Wait, was it the n word then, and not the word slave? I am still trying to figure out what was found objectionable. Can someone please just say?

Song of Solomon. warned students he would be reading a passage in original w n word and did it. Explained why he was doing it. Despite the warning, he got reported and was in trouble.

Thank you!

I feel badly for this teacher, but I also don’t understand why a white person would ever feel the need to say that word. I just think it was a mistake to want to read that passage out loud yourself. Maybe discuss it without reading it? There is still a power dynamic at play with you being the teacher. I am white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And it’s all the truth. Believe every bit of it.

Yeah, it's so "true" that no one in this thread can name the specific contrary opinions that are supposedly being reported to the DEI office.

There was one just a few weeks ago. A long standing teacher reading a very famous author who wrote some charged words in his work. Boom. Teacher turned into DEI office by the form submitted anonymously by a hs student. Forced to ritually self immolate

He read the passage out loud in a book the academic department had assigned. Yes the passage contained a word that is considered deeply offensive in 2024. The teacher even warned the class before he read it.

And yet, teacher was reported. The administrative state began its investigation. Called the teacher in. An apology was forced to be sent in writing to the entire class by the teacher. That apology was sent around the school.

This happens frequently. God forbid you say “slave” in a class about slavery instead of “enslaved person”. You know the form will be used. And the kid who said slave in proper historic context will be called in.

To be clear, there are a very small number of kids who do this. But they are around. And everyone knows them. And the entire DEI apparatus at the school serves to empower these 1-2 kids per classroom

Was the student censoring "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" or "To Kill a Mockingbird"? Will they be banning those books now?

Think it might have been 'Song of Solomon". I honestly think kids at that age often have a level of righteous indignation and are in the process of learning to advocate, yet haven't learned to pick their battles yet. Learning how and when to speak up is a skill that high school students are still mastering. I like that GDS helps students find their voice and situations like this are a learning experience for everyone.

A Toni Morrison book got a DEI warning and the teacher had to immolate themselves in front of their students? That doesn't seem like a positive learning experience for anyone.

Wait, was it the n word then, and not the word slave? I am still trying to figure out what was found objectionable. Can someone please just say?

Song of Solomon. warned students he would be reading a passage in original w n word and did it. Explained why he was doing it. Despite the warning, he got reported and was in trouble.

Thank you!

I feel badly for this teacher, but I also don’t understand why a white person would ever feel the need to say that word. I just think it was a mistake to want to read that passage out loud yourself. Maybe discuss it without reading it? There is still a power dynamic at play with you being the teacher. I am white.

Wow. No. That’s what she wrote and the word she chose when she wrote it. She had a reason. Why did you choose that book to read and discuss in class if you don’t want it discussed in class? Perhaps we should ask the author if she would prefer the students censor themselves rather than discuss?

[Anonymous]

Why can’t you discuss that passage without yourself reading that word out loud? It’s not one or the other. Or read the passage and skip over the word.

I’m fifty years old and I haven’t heard a white person say that word since I was a child, except maybe in a movie. I don’t think white people need to say it really, even reading Toni Morrison. Jmho

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And it’s all the truth. Believe every bit of it.

Yeah, it's so "true" that no one in this thread can name the specific contrary opinions that are supposedly being reported to the DEI office.

There was one just a few weeks ago. A long standing teacher reading a very famous author who wrote some charged words in his work. Boom. Teacher turned into DEI office by the form submitted anonymously by a hs student. Forced to ritually self immolate

He read the passage out loud in a book the academic department had assigned. Yes the passage contained a word that is considered deeply offensive in 2024. The teacher even warned the class before he read it.

And yet, teacher was reported. The administrative state began its investigation. Called the teacher in. An apology was forced to be sent in writing to the entire class by the teacher. That apology was sent around the school.

This happens frequently. God forbid you say “slave” in a class about slavery instead of “enslaved person”. You know the form will be used. And the kid who said slave in proper historic context will be called in.

To be clear, there are a very small number of kids who do this. But they are around. And everyone knows them. And the entire DEI apparatus at the school serves to empower these 1-2 kids per classroom

Was the student censoring "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" or "To Kill a Mockingbird"? Will they be banning those books now?

Think it might have been 'Song of Solomon". I honestly think kids at that age often have a level of righteous indignation and are in the process of learning to advocate, yet haven't learned to pick their battles yet. Learning how and when to speak up is a skill that high school students are still mastering. I like that GDS helps students find their voice and situations like this are a learning experience for everyone.

A Toni Morrison book got a DEI warning and the teacher had to immolate themselves in front of their students? That doesn't seem like a positive learning experience for anyone.

Wait, was it the n word then, and not the word slave? I am still trying to figure out what was found objectionable. Can someone please just say?

Song of Solomon. warned students he would be reading a passage in original w n word and did it. Explained why he was doing it. Despite the warning, he got reported and was in trouble.

Thank you!

I feel badly for this teacher, but I also don’t understand why a white person would ever feel the need to say that word. I just think it was a mistake to want to read that passage out loud yourself. Maybe discuss it without reading it? There is still a power dynamic at play with you being the teacher. I am white.

Wow. No. That’s what she wrote and the word she chose when she wrote it. She had a reason. Why did you choose that book to read and discuss in class if you don’t want it discussed in class? Perhaps we should ask the author if she would prefer the students censor themselves rather than discuss?

And under this rubric we would have the kids themselves saying this word to one another in class to discuss the passage. Because that’s the word the author used. I could easily see the power dynamics from such a discussion going off the rails. I don’t think even college lit classes would be having such discussions with this word at this point where white people are openly saying this word. It isn’t necessary to make your point, and it creates a power dynamic the moment you say it.

I was an English major at an ivy and I can’t imagine one of my profs doing that. I think the teacher made an error in judgment, probably well intentioned, but I don’t think it’s his place to say that word even through pedagogy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t you discuss that passage without yourself reading that word out loud? It’s not one or the other. Or read the passage and skip over the word.

I’m fifty years old and I haven’t heard a white person say that word since I was a child, except maybe in a movie. I don’t think white people need to say it really, even reading Toni Morrison. Jmho

You are so right! GDS should hire black teachers to teach Toni Morrison. And black gay men to teach James Baldwin. The white men can teach Shakespeare. Thankfully, GDS doesn't have to worry about finding Asian literature teachers. And, just to make extra sure the students don't feel traumatized by ink on a page, let's ban the reading of passages out loud. No benefit can be had from the performance literature that can't be had from reading it. GDS could save so much money by shutting down its theater program and just handing out scripts for students to read silently and then discuss.

[Anonymous]

Obviously, GDS does not trust its teachers to lead an even-handed discussion of an important book. But they trust anonymous tips from anonymous teens who then screenshot and circulate for laughs.

Drop the book if the school community can’t handle it.

[Anonymous]

Anti-DEIB posts are the same folks that participated in white flight. Just angry white mothers are doing all they can to uphold the white male patriarchy.

Some things never change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anti-DEIB posts are the same folks that participated in white flight. Just angry white mothers are doing all they can to uphold the white male patriarchy.

Some things never change.

The Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

A book considered one of the greatest modern english literature books.

A black female nobel laureate author.

A 20+ year teacher reading dialogue.

Y'all have lost your minds.