Banned books at Jackson-Reed?

[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.

Will they make available to parents “the district-approved list of resources” and names of the “outside organizations” they partner with?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

100%. Utterly pathetic. Whom is this “safe space” for? The Nazis that may be offended?

[Anonymous]

I suspect some can’t stomach the idea of young minds encountering a history that contradicts the current narrative.

As a young person, I learning about the holocaust taught me about the unimaginable suffering endured by Jews. Those stories gave me hope and powered me through an abominable childhood. It’s a modern day tragedy that today’s youths, who are starving for direction and purpose, aren’t being given the opportunity to see people not just survive, but thrive after experiencing the unthinkable.

Instead, our “leaders” teach that any personal or generational hardship becomes an acceptable excuse for destructive behaviors. It’s shameful to the highest degree.

[Anonymous]

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

Yup. The school intervened in an Arab Student Union fundraiser for Palestine in the spring because a couple of parents freaked out: https://thejackson-reedbeacon.com/20544/news/admin-suspends-palestine-education-fundraiser-amidst-controversy/. Key quote, from the teacher advisor to the Jewish Student Union: “One of the most frustrating things with this whole situation is that it seems like adults failed to have constructive dialogue and discussion about this fundraiser, and the students involved suffered because of it.”

I’m a Jewish JR parent, and based on everything I’ve observed and heard from my kids about the current climate, I think it was smart to postpone Maus and Night. Teachers are not worried about discussion of sensitive topics and debate among students in the classroom—they are worried about parents freaking out and making it impossible for those conversations to happen.

[Anonymous]

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

Postponed from term 2 to term 3. I dont see the outrage. And i am buying both books now so my kid can read them even before if she wants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Yup. The school intervened in an Arab Student Union fundraiser for Palestine in the spring because a couple of parents freaked out: https://thejackson-reedbeacon.com/20544/news/admin-suspends-palestine-education-fundraiser-amidst-controversy/. Key quote, from the teacher advisor to the Jewish Student Union: “One of the most frustrating things with this whole situation is that it seems like adults failed to have constructive dialogue and discussion about this fundraiser, and the students involved suffered because of it.”

I’m a Jewish JR parent, and based on everything I’ve observed and heard from my kids about the current climate, I think it was smart to postpone Maus and Night. Teachers are not worried about discussion of sensitive topics and debate among students in the classroom—they are worried about parents freaking out and making it impossible for those conversations to happen.

I think you will be unpleasantly surprised. And I think postponing books that are already in the curriculum because of “the conflict” is much different from address complaints about a fundraiser that apparently did not go through the proper channels.

[Anonymous]

I'm Jewish and I think the principal's letter makes sense, though I do think he should have sent it before all the rumors/chatter. (I don't have a kid at JR.)

No one else thinks the Maus/Night combination is weird?

[Anonymous]

One takeaway might be that the obsession of DCPS on identity groups is unhealthy and always comes full circle to become destructive. Just a thought.

[Anonymous]

Letter makes sense to me. So we're mad that teachers reached out for support? gosh.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.

Right. I can respect different points of view but I am disturbed about what they thought the problem was going to be?

[Anonymous]

I'll be pleasantly surprised if they move forward with teaching these books next term. But often this is a way to kick the "problem" down the road. There may be another excuse then to further delay things based on events in the world (which I think make the books more important to read and teach, not less.) They may hope they can dodge the subject if parents forget about the assignment by then and move on.

[Anonymous]

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.

Are you kidding me! If I was a teacher I would be nervous that if I said one small thing that someone took the wrong way, all hell could break loose. And teachers can’t control what kids say. What if a kid brings up the present Israel Hamas war? It is a minefield and English teachers may not feel they have enough expertise to manage wild card situations

[Anonymous]

Pathetic is the perfect world. They’re sending the message that learning about the Holocaust is optional, and that the stories of the millions who were murdered can be excluded from the record when convenient.

I’m sure many students will incorporate this decision into their anti-Israel rhetoric.

It’s the same dynamic that let to the Harvard, Penn and MIT testimonies before Congress. Welcoming uncomfortable conversations about everything except Jewish suffering. Rhetorically protecting all populations except Jews.

Parents should plan an unauthorized field trip to the Holocaust museum—now.