Reply to Nysmith allegedly allowed antisemetic bullying and expelled the kids who's parents complained

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The AG was careful to emphasize that THE ALLEGATIONS are "deeply disturbing."[/quote]

We’re all lawyers here - we know these are allegations. Except we do have photographic evidence of the giant Hitler drawing. [/quote]

Except, from what I’ve gathered, the kids were effectively tasked with drawing a representation of a bad, cruel, manipulative, fearsome leader. Kids who learn about WWII and the Holocaust. Or maybe you are suggesting that Hitler is NOT a good representation of a historical leader embodying those characteristics?

In thinking more about this, why aren’t there more emails in the complaint? There’s only the one expulsion one. Anytime I’ve had an issue with a school, I’ve first reached out by email, documenting the issue. When I had an issue with bullying of my own child, I had a string of emails back and forth with the school (not this one), and I also met with the school several times in person. And I documented the meeting (“As we discussed when we met today, I said X, Y, and Z and you agreed to (or refused to) take A, B, C steps to correct the issue.”). Given the type of families at this school, it seems strange to me that the complaint suggests this is a long-standing issue, but contains nothing written to show failure by the school to address it or any other interaction between the school and parents. I guess it’s possible, but seems odd, especially given the gravity of the bullying alleged.[/quote]

It was a poor choice for an assignment and was not appropriate for their thinking level unless you had a kid truly gifted in the right areas. If the teacher felt it was important, the assignment should have been done as a class so the teacher could help them understand better. I could see a college student writing a paper about this and choosing a beloved leader who had also done some really questionable things. Machiavelli felt the ends justify the means, but Hitler would be a case where there is no way the ends justify anything. Hitler is s a choice you might make it you had very concrete thinking and did not understand the assignment. For typical kids this age, they hear Machiavelli and probably think of the vocab word "Machiavellian" and assume it means just evil. Plus, in group assignments, sometimes the most adamant kid wins so you don't even know if the other students agreed with this choice. [b]I don't blame the kids. Critical thinking and analysis may not be their area of giftedness.[/b]

My kids are in public school. In one class my son had to do an assignment on a powerful and persuasive leader with flaws and a kind-hearted boy in the class chose Hitler. This kid meant no harm, he just didn't completely understand the assignment. The teacher gently explained to him that sadly Hitler did become powerful and was persuasive, but it wasn't just that he had flaws, he had millions murdered. He was an extreme tyrant and not what the assignment was about. Perhaps because this was a regular class and not AAP, the teacher understood the need to screen things and make sure the students understood the assignment. It was handled well because the teacher was properly involved.[/quote]

This is a compassionate take. I also don't blame the kids, but would say that this points at a significant problem at Nysmith. A lot of gifted kids lack impulse control, judgement, and understanding of social norms. If any school should be hands-on working with kids to understand the feelings of others, and the impact of these sorts of decisions on peers, it's a school that centers 2E kids the way Nysmith does.

It's as if a school for kids with dyslexia wasn't teaching kids to read. That's the whole reason a person would choose that school and not addressing the social-emotional piece is a massive dereliction of duty on the part of the teacher and administration. [/quote]

Yes. I wonder if this teacher has a teaching license. Private schools don't always require it.  [/quote]

I... don't think you need a teaching license to know that having the kids draw a big giant picture of Hitler is a bad idea.[/quote]

Right?? This thread makes me despair over the state of US education. Are people really this dumb. [/quote]

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