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[tkscz]

I don't know guys, this seems like a good way to find out whose parent's are in the KKK. I don't think most kids would answer with actually justifying the actions, but their parents on the other hand

All joking aside, the way the kids would answer this could reflect on their parents and whats taught in the house hold. Does that make the assignment good? Nope. Is this the teacher's intention? Couldn't say. But some insight could be taken, and maybe some children saved from become future KKK members.

 

[Phoenix RISING]

In a college or possibly even high school setting this is a good question - understanding the roots and motivations of extremist groups is an important part of learning about said groups - but this is way beyond the ken of a 10 year old.

As an educator, this is categorically false.

One does not need to ideologically place themselves in the shoes of one who murders or rapes to understand their motivations for doing so.

The suggestion that such an exercise is productive would be confusing knowledge with empathy.

How about a class exercise that outlines what it feels like to be a freshly emancipated former slave During the Reconstruction Era?

Trash pedagogy from trash teachers.

 

[Razmos]

I tried reading the erased answer and all I can make out is that it starts "Because they are African..."

 

[Pizza]

I'm all for critical thinking questions but ten is the wrong time to be discussing kkk from a "what if I was one" standpoint. It'd take a carefully constructed unit in high school to be able to appropriately introduce that critical thinking question, and even then I'm not convinced I'd do it.

Shit, I'd regret it the minute I got a response that was "bc they aren't people lol" also I have black students why tf do they need to spend time at home mulling over the inner workings of a racist piece of shit?

The oooonly time I could even consider touching this would be in a Socratic seminar at the end of a well-constructed unit. That isn't a homework question you fucking toss at a ten year old in comic sans

Edit: just to clarify, I don't see the educational value of that question. Reading a book like Black Boy and discussing the black American experience is an objectively better idea.

 

[g11]

Well that's one way to outsource your future Facebook argument material...

 

[reKon]

"both sides" homework

Lol

 

[bozeman]

I really want to see that erased answer so we know exactly what she's teaching in the classroom.

 

[FullMetaltech]

Is it normal for schools to not thoroughly vet the assignments teachers give out? I mean this is some crazy shit.

 

[Dude Abides]

How about a class exercise that outlines what it feels like to be a freshly emancipated former slave During the Reconstruction Era?

Trash pedagogy from trash teachers.

You mean like the last question on the page?

 

[demosthenes]

Is it normal for schools to not thoroughly vet the assignments teachers give out? I mean this is some crazy shit.

Why would you expect that?

 

[gcubed]

I don't know guys, this seems like a good way to find out whose parent's are in the KKK. I don't think most kids would answer with actually justifying the actions, but their parents on the other hand
.

I thought the same thing.

The wording is even terrible for a college assignment. "Imagine you are there, why is the KKK so awesome"

You mean like the last question on the page?

Even that wording is terrible though

 

[Wafflecakes]

Is it normal for schools to not thoroughly vet the assignments teachers give out? I mean this is some crazy shit.

Lol.... no.

Who exactly is going to do this vetting, and with what money are you going to pay them?

Not to mention that what few teachers we have would probably quit if they had to jump through the extra hoop of having every assignment submitted, vetted, and approved before they could teach it.

 

[Galang]

Just what? That question makes no sense even if it were to be asked in college. Justification? Yeah no....

 

[TS-08]

I really want to see that erased answer so we know exactly what she's teaching in the classroom.

I think the answers that we can see in the assignment give a pretty good idea.

I wonder if this "you are there" segment is a recurring one in the teacher's assignments meant to ask students to apply what they've learned through these kind of vicarious hypotheticals. It might make sense in other lessons, but is not appropriate here.

 

[erpg]

What if it's being used to weed out little KKKs? 🤔

 

[FullMetaltech]

Lol.... no.

Who exactly is going to do this vetting, and with what money are you going to pay them?

Not to mention that what few teachers we have would probably quit if they had to jump through the extra hoop of having every assignment submitted, vetted, and approved before they could teach it.

I guess you guys are right.

 

[kmfdmpig]

I obviously don't mind the KKK and their atrocities being taught in school, it all should be since it is a part of our history. At first I thought you guys were jumping to conclusions and making a big deal out of it all for no reason. Then I scrolled down and saw the part where they are asked to imagine they are in the KKK and to justify what they did. I don't understand that a single bit. Wow. I can't even fathom what the teacher was thinking.

Agreed. The rest of it seemed like a valid way to see if students understood that time in history, but that question was so out of bounds.
If the teacher wanted students to try to show the viewpoints of the KKK they could have gone with something like:
What abhorrent actions did the KKK take? What misguided viewpoints did they have that contributed to them taking those actions?

 

[Pizza]

Is it normal for schools to not thoroughly vet the assignments teachers give out? I mean this is some crazy shit.

Absolutely. Teachers are generally left entirely to their own devices, with only the state or national standards to hold them accountable.

Good districts lay out what standards and skills should be taught each unit, good schools have vertical and horizontal teams to ensure that all the teachers/students are on the same page across grade levels and classrooms.

Good teams work together to make really effective lesson plans and quizzes.

Some schools have none of that. I assume this teacher's school is one of those bc i couldn't ever see that homework assignment making it out of a workshop.

 

[iShouldGoPro]

...what?

you know what i mean. these kind of threads always bring up the Trump administration as a cause of crime even though this kind of shit has been happening all the time throughout the years

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Sweet Christmas...

Colossal acts of stupidity on display from this teacher. Sad thing is, their intentions were probably not bad. They're just...not smart at all. I don't know a nice way to say that.

 

[El-Suave]

It's dumb to phrase the questions like that and to have kids that young tackle such a subject matter in this political climate in the first place. Of course parents have the right to complain and the teacher should explain him-/herself and be punished if needed.
The questions about KKK motivations and line their line of thought shouldn't be off topic though. As long as you clearly condemn it and explain why it's wrong and results in vile and criminal acts it's a valid thing to learn and know. The last thing you want young people to think is that they're just funny looking dudes holding marches sometimes.
Here in Germany we get taught why the Nazi's hated jews and other groups of people and how they used them and that hatred to further their political agenda and to commit the horrible crimes that they did. That's something you need to know when you leave school. But there's a reason young people here usually start their history lessons with the Greeks, the Romans and the middle Ages before moving to more national history when they're older.

 

[cubicle47b]

It's a useful thought experiment, but not for 5th grade. Probably not even for high school.

 

[Jack The Nipper]

We don't know the teachers reasoning and a lot of over reacting in this thread. This assignment was likely pro active and probably used for discussion.


If kids and students can't learn and understand what it is in school then they are definitely hearing it and seeing it. Seems better they discuss it together.

the paper as is isn't the best way to do it. Kids see the same things we all do. It's everywhere already, if it wasn't racism wouldn't exist today

 

[siddx]

Eh I'll give the teacher the benefit of doubt that he meant well but executed his intentions in an incredibly piss poor manner. Might fly in a high school with proper set up, but it just isn't appropriate for kids that young.
I admit bias as a teacher myself though, I usually want to give teachers, who are constantly shit on from every goddamn angle, the benefit of doubt. Truth is I'm probably being way too easy on him.

 

[Wafflecakes]

We don't know the teachers reasoning and a lot of over reacting in this thread. This assignment was likely pro active and probably used for discussion.

It could definitely be refine though to accomplish the same goals.

I hope that the admin is able to determine the teacher's intentions, and if it was a simple mistake then some education for the teacher should occur and they should keep their job.

The bloodlust isn't really necessary from some.

 

[sikkinixx]

There’s a way to make that question work, namely by taking out the “imagine” part and just asking “how did/does the KKK justify its beliefs” I guess? But for a 10 year old to answer? Really? Reeeeeeally?

Why do we need
to understand kkk members?

This attitude is the root of so many problems.

 

[crisdecuba]

You are there... You are a South Carolina elementary school teacher in the unemployment line because you sent ten year olds home with a KKK assignment. How do you defend your actions?

I laughed.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

Eh I'll give the teacher the benefit of doubt that he meant well but executed his intentions in an incredibly piss poor manner. Might fly in a high school with proper set up, but it just isn't appropriate for kids that young.
I admit bias as a teacher myself though, I usually want to give teachers, who are constantly shit on from every goddamn angle, the benefit of doubt. Truth is I'm probably being way too easy on him.

We don't get the benefit of the doubt. Why should he?

 

[BlackRainbowFT]

Absolutely unacceptable...

Although we did something vaguely similar to this in philosophy class (we were adults). We had split our class between pro- and anti-abortion people and then we had to switch sides and debate.

But it wasn't about whose side was right, it was about discourse analysis, logical fallacies, propositional logic, etc. Being forced to criticize your own arguments (in a role-playing setting) can have a powerful effect.

But obviously in this case it was ill-intentioned.

 

[travisbickle]

I think 16+ this is a appropriate topic to talk about in a public classroom. The reality is a lot of the young men online think that these topics are deliberately suppressed because so many share their views ... the whole "I'm just saying what we're all thinking."

Thinking it's appropriate to describe public lynchings to a 10 year old is a fucking disgrace.

 

[Regginator]

As a non-American, every time I hear about the KKK

 

[Jack The Nipper]

Absolutely unacceptable...

Although we did something vaguely similar to this in philosophy class (we were adults). We had split our class between pro- and anti-abortion people and then we had to switch sides and debate.

But it wasn't about whose side was right, it was about discourse analysis, logical fallacies, propositional logic, etc. Being forced to criticize your own arguments (in a role-playing setting) can have a powerful effect.

But obviously in this case it was ill-intentioned.

This makes my head hurt, it's like saying I know something but you really don't.

Why use such definitive language when the definitive answer clearly isn't there

 

[toneroni]

Is that in comic sans also? But seriously, F this teacher (and the current administration). The crazy thing is that this would be outrageous 10-20 years ago but almost normal now..

 

[Kthulhu]

As a non-American, every time I hear about the KKK

They still exists, albeit in significantly smaller numbers.

They are an important part of our history.

 

[siddx]

We don't get the benefit of the doubt. Why should he?

Because that is a childish and unhelpful attitude to have about issues. You should both get the benefit of doubt instead of neither.

 

[KernelPanic]

Given the current climate I'd say it's very very poor choice of wording at the very least.

I'm not sure that 10 year olds are an appropriate audience.

Using a poster's philosophy example I don't think a written assignment is the best choice for this type of assignment. Acting out a debate would be a more effective teaching medium. This isn't an issue you can distill into a short paragraph or two.

Hard to say without knowing more about the teacher or his line of thinking.

 

[kcp12304]

You are there...You are a member of Al-Qaeda. Why do you think terrorism is justified?

 

[boredandlazy]

Teacher was just looking for ideas to use with their GAF burner accounts.

 

[Ragnorok64]

Just what? That question makes no sense even if it were to be asked in college. Justification? Yeah no....

Explaining how the typical person in a hate group felt would not be phrased like this. I took a bunch of history courses in college and were never asked stupid questions like justify the Armenian genocide. I mean having a discussion about how the constant presence of white supremacy affected the upbrining of many of these people would be useful, but this is beyond a 10 year old anyway

It is not acceptable in anyway. It's like you're saying a history course asking the question why the Nazi's genociding Jews was justifiable. In no way is that an acceptable way to approach that type of question.

After re-reading the question a couple times I don't think they are saying the KKK's actions are justified but asking why a member back then would think their actions are justified. No idea why this was given to 5th graders.

And what the heck is supposed to go in the "illustration" section?

I find the "imagine you are a freed man are you satisfied with your new life?" question to be way more suspect honestly.

 

[Chezzymann]

"both sides" etc etc...

 

[Neece]

And what the heck is supposed to go in the "illustration" section?

Probably a lynching.

 

[Raylan Targaryen]

As a non-American, every time I hear about the KKK

As a bonus whatyearisit.jpg, we also have nazis and under Russians. Who knew The Man in the High Castle and The Americans were non-fictional?

 

[Skilletor]

Eh I'll give the teacher the benefit of doubt that he meant well but executed his intentions in an incredibly piss poor manner. Might fly in a high school with proper set up, but it just isn't appropriate for kids that young.
I admit bias as a teacher myself though, I usually want to give teachers, who are constantly shit on from every goddamn angle, the benefit of doubt. Truth is I'm probably being way too easy on him.

Imagine being a black kid in this class.

Fuck benefit of the doubt. Racist shit is always getting the benefit of the doubt. Fuck that.

 

[Neece]

Sad part of the answer in the OP is that the poor child thought recently freed slaves received medical care, jobs, education, and protection. They thought those free black men and women became accepted American citizens like white people.

 

[theWB27]

There’s a way to make that question work, namely by taking out the “imagine” part and just asking “how did/does the KKK justify its beliefs” I guess? But for a 10 year old to answer? Really? Reeeeeeally?



This attitude is the root of so many problems.

Is it though?

 

[kmfdmpig]

We don't know the teachers reasoning and a lot of over reacting in this thread. This assignment was likely pro active and probably used for discussion.


If kids and students can't learn and understand what it is in school then they are definitely hearing it and seeing it. Seems better they discuss it together.

the paper as is isn't the best way to do it. Kids see the same things we all do. It's everywhere already, if it wasn't racism wouldn't exist today

Eh I'll give the teacher the benefit of doubt that he meant well but executed his intentions in an incredibly piss poor manner. Might fly in a high school with proper set up, but it just isn't appropriate for kids that young.
I admit bias as a teacher myself though, I usually want to give teachers, who are constantly shit on from every goddamn angle, the benefit of doubt. Truth is I'm probably being way too easy on him.

I suspect that you're right that the point of the lesson was probably not to support KKK viewpoints, but to help children recognize how abhorrent they were.
With that said, it's always puzzling with these issues (there have been numerous similar threads in the last few years) that the teacher is oblivious enough to not recognize that the topic is one that is highly painful to a lot of people and some care and thought should go into how things are worded. They approach it as they would a paper about the difference between igneous and metamorphic rock rather than the potential lightning rod that it is, which seems shocking to me.

 

[Thelonelykoopa]

I'm a bit curious how the KKK was discussed I mean my elementary through High School Never even mentions them but I can see why you would. That being said only the first 2 questions are fine the rest is worded strange as fuck and lol at Illustration. Also the term Freedman I might be confused but in discussions of the KKK it seems a bit anachronistic though freed slaves would still be alive during the rise of the KKK.

 

[Sanke__]

Uhm.....
That second question is even more fucked up

Holy shit
Wtf

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

You are there...You are a member of Al-Qaeda. Why do you think terrorism is justified?

I wonder if there would be any 'benefit of the doubt' going on with that scenario, also involving 10 year olds.

 

[Neece]

I wonder if there would be any 'benefit of the doubt' going on with that scenario, also involving 10 year olds.

That was the 9/11 assignment. "Illustrate your justification for why it was okay for terroist to attack the world trade centers."