Banned books at Jackson-Reed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, if we are going to lean into an authentic conversation on intersectional topics we have to be able to use different lenses so that we arrive at an equitable space which will allow us to do the work to break down interdependent systems of privilege.

Chat bot?

[Anonymous]

What’s scary is how so many smart, kindhearted people don’t realize that this is dangerous. This generation may grow up to “question the Holocaust narrative” and these JR administrators are complicit.

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If JR teachers don't think they can teach these books in the fall, I would rather they come together on January 2nd and decided collectively how they will approach teaching them. At least there is an opportunity to address the internal bias that will be brought into the classroom and address it head on. I worry more about an individual teacher's bias more than the delay.

Probably not enough time The second half of the DCPS school year is programmed for black history content. Starts with MLK weekend, then BLM Week of Action, then black history month, then DC Emancipation Day, and concludes with Juneteenth.

There are a lot of white folks all up in their feelings about DEI. Probably best to not teach slavery or the treatment of blacks in America until the moment passes where white folks aren't mad. Amiright?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If JR teachers don't think they can teach these books in the fall, I would rather they come together on January 2nd and decided collectively how they will approach teaching them. At least there is an opportunity to address the internal bias that will be brought into the classroom and address it head on. I worry more about an individual teacher's bias more than the delay.

Probably not enough time The second half of the DCPS school year is programmed for black history content. Starts with MLK weekend, then BLM Week of Action, then black history month, then DC Emancipation Day, and concludes with Juneteenth.

There are a lot of white folks all up in their feelings about DEI. Probably best to not teach slavery or the treatment of blacks in America until the moment passes where white folks aren't mad. Amiright?

Nope. Just up in our feelings about DEI that purposefully excludes Jews

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If JR teachers don't think they can teach these books in the fall, I would rather they come together on January 2nd and decided collectively how they will approach teaching them. At least there is an opportunity to address the internal bias that will be brought into the classroom and address it head on. I worry more about an individual teacher's bias more than the delay.

Probably not enough time The second half of the DCPS school year is programmed for black history content. Starts with MLK weekend, then BLM Week of Action, then black history month, then DC Emancipation Day, and concludes with Juneteenth.

There are a lot of white folks all up in their feelings about DEI. Probably best to not teach slavery or the treatment of blacks in America until the moment passes where white folks aren't mad. Amiright?

A school is only as good as its culture. An inclusive environment is not just a nice-to-have, it can make or break a community. Collectively we need to understand the perceptual, institutional, and psychological processes that impact our shared history, starting with identifying interventions surrounding unconscious bias and specific diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies. This path may not be comfortable for communities of power within DCPS, but the reward is shared enlightenment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all related in part to how the left cannot cope with free speech & the fact that Hamas is deeply anti-semitic at the same time that Gazan civilians are suffering from Israeli bombs and Hamas is terrorizing Israel. They just want there to be slogans where one side is obviously right and good, to the point where it can be openly advocated for even by public institutions like school as “social justice.”

But confronting an issue where there is actually more than one claim to justice? The wheels fall off! To the point that they cannot even deal with discussing it.

Truly pathetic, pathetic thing to see at what is supposedly the best HS in DC.

I am to the "left" and I support Israel's right to existence, the right to criticize Hamas (and Israel) and do not believe in banning free speech. So, as we normally do in teaching--avoid sweeping generalizations.

Very few on the left have a consistent position on free speech. And Jackson-Reed evidently cannot cope with the existence of ambiguity. Maybe “left” isn’t exactly the right term - more the creeping politicization of curriculum.

You seem confused. All attempts to ban books and discussion of sensitive topics that I’m aware of come from the right.

- Florida has banned discussion of families that include gay people in public schools.
- Police recently descended on a middle school out west to search it for books that might include content about LGBT experience.
- Moms for Liberty and similar groups have successfully pushed for books to be banned all over the country.
- many jurisdictions in red states require public employees to promise not to support boycotts of Israel in order to keep their jobs.

As for anti-Semitism, it’s hard for me to imagine that anyone who was in DC when Trump supporters papered the city with vile anti-Semitic stickers as well as wearing T-shirts saying things like “6 million wasn’t enough” is confused about what part of the American political spectrum is anti-Semitic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If JR teachers don't think they can teach these books in the fall, I would rather they come together on January 2nd and decided collectively how they will approach teaching them. At least there is an opportunity to address the internal bias that will be brought into the classroom and address it head on. I worry more about an individual teacher's bias more than the delay.

Probably not enough time The second half of the DCPS school year is programmed for black history content. Starts with MLK weekend, then BLM Week of Action, then black history month, then DC Emancipation Day, and concludes with Juneteenth.

There are a lot of white folks all up in their feelings about DEI. Probably best to not teach slavery or the treatment of blacks in America until the moment passes where white folks aren't mad. Amiright?

Nope. Just up in our feelings about DEI that purposefully excludes Jews

As a Jew, I fully support DEI work, as does every Jew and Jewish organization that I’m aware of.

I think you are a troll engaging in the time honored custom of trying to divide and conquer non-white people. STFU.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all related in part to how the left cannot cope with free speech & the fact that Hamas is deeply anti-semitic at the same time that Gazan civilians are suffering from Israeli bombs and Hamas is terrorizing Israel. They just want there to be slogans where one side is obviously right and good, to the point where it can be openly advocated for even by public institutions like school as “social justice.”

But confronting an issue where there is actually more than one claim to justice? The wheels fall off! To the point that they cannot even deal with discussing it.

Truly pathetic, pathetic thing to see at what is supposedly the best HS in DC.

I am to the "left" and I support Israel's right to existence, the right to criticize Hamas (and Israel) and do not believe in banning free speech. So, as we normally do in teaching--avoid sweeping generalizations.

Very few on the left have a consistent position on free speech. And Jackson-Reed evidently cannot cope with the existence of ambiguity. Maybe “left” isn’t exactly the right term - more the creeping politicization of curriculum.

You seem confused. All attempts to ban books and discussion of sensitive topics that I’m aware of come from the right.

- Florida has banned discussion of families that include gay people in public schools.
- Police recently descended on a middle school out west to search it for books that might include content about LGBT experience.
- Moms for Liberty and similar groups have successfully pushed for books to be banned all over the country.
- many jurisdictions in red states require public employees to promise not to support boycotts of Israel in order to keep their jobs.

As for anti-Semitism, it’s hard for me to imagine that anyone who was in DC when Trump supporters papered the city with vile anti-Semitic stickers as well as wearing T-shirts saying things like “6 million wasn’t enough” is confused about what part of the American political spectrum is anti-Semitic.

'That I'm aware of' is doing all of the work in this, since we're talking about an actual attempt to avoid a 'sensitive' topic here, and yet you apparently still remain unaware.

Regarding Trump supporters: they went home and you remained here.

[Anonymous]

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.

"no one", not "do was"

[Anonymous]

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.

Well, DCPS had its libraries purge all books like more than 5 years old, without funds for replacement, and not just outdated science, but also fiction since many older books are insufficiently diverse by our current standards.

Rather than trusting that students can read both new and old books and still come with humane values, DCPS apparently has strict views about what books are safe for children snd teens to read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK, let's take this head on.

It does seem that within the first hour of teaching a book about the holocaust, a kid is going to ask, "if this is what Jewish people experienced in Poland, etc., why are they [insert whatever kid will say] to Palestinian people in Gaza right now? Yeah, 1200 people were killed in some straight-up villainy but now Israel killed 20,000. Teacher, tell me why we're reading about this and whether we shouldn't care more about Gazans dying today rather than a mass murder 80 years ago?

So the teacher could say “Civilians casualties are horrible, but Israeli is not deliberately trying to kill Palestinian civilians. That is a false equivalency. They are fighting a defensive war against terrorists, who did target and kill Israeli civilians (including kidnapping elderly an Holocaust survivor) , say they will do it again, and hide behind Palestinian civilians. You may be against the war, but it is false to compare that to the Holocaust.” Not so hard to teach the truth…

The more appropriate response would be to redirect to a discussion of the actual literature.

A frequent question in ELA assignments is to relate the experiences of the characters in the book to the reader's own experiences or events in the real world.

I mean, making those connections is one of the points of reading.

That’s actually a really lazy and annoying type of analysis, more for 4th graders. I think a 10th grade class can do better.

[Anonymous]

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.

WTF is the “other side” of the Holocaust?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a Jewish dcps student on track to attend Jackson Reed, and now I wish I had the money to send them to Jewish Day School instead. I always envisioned my children in public school. I wanted them to have the exposure to diverse people and thoughts. But now I see that they’d be better off in a Jewish school being proud of who they are - rather than in DCPS where teachers are literally afraid to teach the HOLOCAUST for fear of repercussion. It makes me so so sad.

Same exact thinking over here.