Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a DCPS kid in high school who was passionate about reading, writing, and history. But she's saying now she wants to go into the hard sciences because there is less of a prescribed agenda. Every English or Social Studies paper is about "identity" and needs to written in from an oppressor/victim POV to receive a high grade. The kids roll their eyes a bit, but they play the game. It just isn't intellectually fulfilling.

I recommend supplementing with different material and perspectives at home. That's helped us a bit.

This could be a troll but there is a kernel of truth here. My kid is younger I heard something similar from my nephew recently (not in DCPS) about the way they are taught to write in high school. I haaaaate saying this because I think the whining about CRT is overblown, but it does sound like there is so much focus on politically correct thinking that it undermines some basic education. And it backfires too, because the kids don't actually adopt the "correct" viewpoints they are spoon-fed. They get annoyed with how rigid it all is and roll their eyes at it, but have much more nuanced opinions on it all that they simply don't express to adults. Which is actually troubling. They are learning to play a game to parrot certain talking points but then not really engaging with teachers or parents on these issues.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a DCPS kid in high school who was passionate about reading, writing, and history. But she's saying now she wants to go into the hard sciences because there is less of a prescribed agenda. Every English or Social Studies paper is about "identity" and needs to written in from an oppressor/victim POV to receive a high grade. The kids roll their eyes a bit, but they play the game. It just isn't intellectually fulfilling.

I recommend supplementing with different material and perspectives at home. That's helped us a bit.

+1. We did a lot of supplementing to. It sort of became a running joke at our dinner table. I mean every single book they read is about racism or identity. It’s completely out of whack.

What supplementing?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a DCPS kid in high school who was passionate about reading, writing, and history. But she's saying now she wants to go into the hard sciences because there is less of a prescribed agenda. Every English or Social Studies paper is about "identity" and needs to written in from an oppressor/victim POV to receive a high grade. The kids roll their eyes a bit, but they play the game. It just isn't intellectually fulfilling.

I recommend supplementing with different material and perspectives at home. That's helped us a bit.

This could be a troll but there is a kernel of truth here. My kid is younger I heard something similar from my nephew recently (not in DCPS) about the way they are taught to write in high school. I haaaaate saying this because I think the whining about CRT is overblown, but it does sound like there is so much focus on politically correct thinking that it undermines some basic education. And it backfires too, because the kids don't actually adopt the "correct" viewpoints they are spoon-fed. They get annoyed with how rigid it all is and roll their eyes at it, but have much more nuanced opinions on it all that they simply don't express to adults. Which is actually troubling. They are learning to play a game to parrot certain talking points but then not really engaging with teachers or parents on these issues.

None of this is about CRT. No kid is learning CRT in K-12. Basically, CRT is a methodology used in law school. Yes, people use the term in layman's terms, but it's incorrect. Also, my kid, who is educated in what you call "politically correct thinking," which I just call education, does not roll his eyes at this education. If your kid is rolling their eyes at education that encourages them to think in a socially justice minded way, then maybe you need to do something about that and not blame teaching kids about socially important topics.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know OP. My 6th grader has zero knowledge of how big the US is or where it is in relation to other countries. He was shocked that it takes less time to fly to the Dominican Republic than San Francisco. I said, “Look at the map - California is much further away.” He said “We learned in Social Studies that maps are bad because they make Africa look small.” 🤡

What your child picked up may not have been the only thing taught. It sounds like they learned about the Mercator vs the Gall-Peters projections. Additionally, I went to graduate school for history and there are various ways of teaching history. Presenting history as European-centric with an obsessive focus on date is sort of the old fashioned method of teaching history.

If it makes you feel better my DCPS HS student got a 5 on the AP history exam. Kids learn history in DCPS!

I think a more "modern" method of teaching history, though, needs to be built on a basic foundation of knowledge. I understand not memorizing dates (we can all look those up on our phones now). But not knowing if the Civil War happened before or after WWII is troubling.

No one learns this in elementary school. Middle and High school, yes. Not elementary school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know OP. My 6th grader has zero knowledge of how big the US is or where it is in relation to other countries. He was shocked that it takes less time to fly to the Dominican Republic than San Francisco. I said, “Look at the map - California is much further away.” He said “We learned in Social Studies that maps are bad because they make Africa look small.” 🤡

What your child picked up may not have been the only thing taught. It sounds like they learned about the Mercator vs the Gall-Peters projections. Additionally, I went to graduate school for history and there are various ways of teaching history. Presenting history as European-centric with an obsessive focus on date is sort of the old fashioned method of teaching history.

If it makes you feel better my DCPS HS student got a 5 on the AP history exam. Kids learn history in DCPS!

Missing major aspects of world history like the Renaissance is a problem. As is the low low bar set where kids are not expected to learn any facts and dates and instead go straight to theorizing and “inquiry” without knowing anything to base it on.

Elementary school kids do not learn about the Renaissance in history.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a DCPS kid in high school who was passionate about reading, writing, and history. But she's saying now she wants to go into the hard sciences because there is less of a prescribed agenda. Every English or Social Studies paper is about "identity" and needs to written in from an oppressor/victim POV to receive a high grade. The kids roll their eyes a bit, but they play the game. It just isn't intellectually fulfilling.

I recommend supplementing with different material and perspectives at home. That's helped us a bit.

Sure, Jan.

The social studies curriculum was rewritten in 2020-2021 with lots of opportunities for the public to contribute. Topics like the Renaissance and world history aren’t covered until HS, but I think DCPS does a good job covering US History, basic geography, and civics in K-8.

Lots of parents here, with kids ranging from elementary to middle school to high school, are expressing genuine concerns about what and how their kids are learning social studies. It isn't that they aren't covering US History and geography in K-8 (yes, I get that it is in the official curricula), its that there are enormous gaps and questionable perspectives (i.e. "maps are bad.") Trying to minimize their concerns with a condescending tone is part of the problem. But, thanks Jan.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know OP. My 6th grader has zero knowledge of how big the US is or where it is in relation to other countries. He was shocked that it takes less time to fly to the Dominican Republic than San Francisco. I said, “Look at the map - California is much further away.” He said “We learned in Social Studies that maps are bad because they make Africa look small.” 🤡

What your child picked up may not have been the only thing taught. It sounds like they learned about the Mercator vs the Gall-Peters projections. Additionally, I went to graduate school for history and there are various ways of teaching history. Presenting history as European-centric with an obsessive focus on date is sort of the old fashioned method of teaching history.

If it makes you feel better my DCPS HS student got a 5 on the AP history exam. Kids learn history in DCPS!

I think a more "modern" method of teaching history, though, needs to be built on a basic foundation of knowledge. I understand not memorizing dates (we can all look those up on our phones now). But not knowing if the Civil War happened before or after WWII is troubling.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know OP. My 6th grader has zero knowledge of how big the US is or where it is in relation to other countries. He was shocked that it takes less time to fly to the Dominican Republic than San Francisco. I said, “Look at the map - California is much further away.” He said “We learned in Social Studies that maps are bad because they make Africa look small.” 🤡

What your child picked up may not have been the only thing taught. It sounds like they learned about the Mercator vs the Gall-Peters projections. Additionally, I went to graduate school for history and there are various ways of teaching history. Presenting history as European-centric with an obsessive focus on date is sort of the old fashioned method of teaching history.

If it makes you feel better my DCPS HS student got a 5 on the AP history exam. Kids learn history in DCPS!

Missing major aspects of world history like the Renaissance is a problem. As is the low low bar set where kids are not expected to learn any facts and dates and instead go straight to theorizing and “inquiry” without knowing anything to base it on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know OP. My 6th grader has zero knowledge of how big the US is or where it is in relation to other countries. He was shocked that it takes less time to fly to the Dominican Republic than San Francisco. I said, “Look at the map - California is much further away.” He said “We learned in Social Studies that maps are bad because they make Africa look small.” 🤡

I'm sorry, did you expect us to believe this? What a dim view of educators you must have, to think that parents would believe such clearly fabricated nonsense.

this is what he told me! if your DCPS child had lessons in basic geography - identifying states and countries on a map - let us know.

Anonymous wrote:I have a 6th grader in a DCPS middle school who knows about all of the things you referenced. Some from school, some from reading, some from family/friends conversations… not sure this is a DCPS problem so much as anecdotal evidence that you need to pay more attention to your kid and their activities?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a DCPS kid in high school who was passionate about reading, writing, and history. But she's saying now she wants to go into the hard sciences because there is less of a prescribed agenda. Every English or Social Studies paper is about "identity" and needs to written in from an oppressor/victim POV to receive a high grade. The kids roll their eyes a bit, but they play the game. It just isn't intellectually fulfilling.

I recommend supplementing with different material and perspectives at home. That's helped us a bit.

Sure, Jan.

The social studies curriculum was rewritten in 2020-2021 with lots of opportunities for the public to contribute. Topics like the Renaissance and world history aren’t covered until HS, but I think DCPS does a good job covering US History, basic geography, and civics in K-8.

Lots of parents here, with kids ranging from elementary to middle school to high school, are expressing genuine concerns about what and how their kids are learning social studies. It isn't that they aren't covering US History and geography in K-8 (yes, I get that it is in the official curricula), its that there are enormous gaps and questionable perspectives (i.e. "maps are bad.") Trying to minimize their concerns with a condescending tone is part of the problem. But, thanks Jan.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a DCPS kid in high school who was passionate about reading, writing, and history. But she's saying now she wants to go into the hard sciences because there is less of a prescribed agenda. Every English or Social Studies paper is about "identity" and needs to written in from an oppressor/victim POV to receive a high grade. The kids roll their eyes a bit, but they play the game. It just isn't intellectually fulfilling.

I recommend supplementing with different material and perspectives at home. That's helped us a bit.

This could be a troll but there is a kernel of truth here. My kid is younger I heard something similar from my nephew recently (not in DCPS) about the way they are taught to write in high school. I haaaaate saying this because I think the whining about CRT is overblown, but it does sound like there is so much focus on politically correct thinking that it undermines some basic education. And it backfires too, because the kids don't actually adopt the "correct" viewpoints they are spoon-fed. They get annoyed with how rigid it all is and roll their eyes at it, but have much more nuanced opinions on it all that they simply don't express to adults. Which is actually troubling. They are learning to play a game to parrot certain talking points but then not really engaging with teachers or parents on these issues.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a DCPS kid in high school who was passionate about reading, writing, and history. But she's saying now she wants to go into the hard sciences because there is less of a prescribed agenda. Every English or Social Studies paper is about "identity" and needs to written in from an oppressor/victim POV to receive a high grade. The kids roll their eyes a bit, but they play the game. It just isn't intellectually fulfilling.

I recommend supplementing with different material and perspectives at home. That's helped us a bit.

This could be a troll but there is a kernel of truth here. My kid is younger I heard something similar from my nephew recently (not in DCPS) about the way they are taught to write in high school. I haaaaate saying this because I think the whining about CRT is overblown, but it does sound like there is so much focus on politically correct thinking that it undermines some basic education. And it backfires too, because the kids don't actually adopt the "correct" viewpoints they are spoon-fed. They get annoyed with how rigid it all is and roll their eyes at it, but have much more nuanced opinions on it all that they simply don't express to adults. Which is actually troubling. They are learning to play a game to parrot certain talking points but then not really engaging with teachers or parents on these issues.