language arts lesson = oppression and social justice terms
“The Hate U Give” movie clip 2.
Influenced by a controversial education resource, Rockwood taught social justice terms in language arts classes, such as oppression, privilege, microaggressions, and intersectionality.
They were basically vocabulary words for middle schoolers.
They were taught in lessons, used in assignments, and, demonstrated in clips from the movie "The Hate U Give."
With this particular movie clip, 8th graders learned that "intersectionality" makes a black teen oppressed, even though she attends an affluent school.
Parent Reaction:
"…our concerns were—wondering how the lessons being taught had anything to do with language arts.”
—Rockwood 8th grade parent
The social justice terms have nothing to do with language arts, according to Missouri's learning standards.
Parents say teachers told them the lessons instead provided diversity and cultural awareness.
But, diversity and cultural awareness are not on Missouri's standardized (MAP) tests.
And, it showed, when kids took the map tests later in the same semester they had these classes.
In 5 of Rockwood’s 6 middle schools, less than 70% of the students scored proficient or above in language arts.
After parent complaints about a lack of academics, Rockwood said it stopped using this clip and all clips from "The Hate U Give" in language arts lessons.
But, teachers are still using the same lesson guidebook that pushes these concepts.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THAT TEACHER GUIDEBOOK:
Not just movie clips from "The Hate U Give," which it promotes repeatedly, but, also gender topics and how it can be "oppressive" to act like a "boy" or "girl:" Gender Norms in language arts
It came from a controversial literacy program called "Teachers College Reading & Writing Project," or TCRWP.
TCRWP has been blasted for its poor use of phonics and criticized for its emphasis on social agenda and "radical pedagogy" (pedagogy means teaching methods). "Units of Indoctrination"
Rockwood relies heavily on TCRWP. So much in middle schools, that an administrator called it a "basic text."'
Above: "...when forces such as racism, classism, or sexism intersect, people face problems that compound each other."
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| Another screenshot from Canvas, Rockwood's online learning platform |
To see the other language arts clip, click here: "The Hate U Give" powerlessness
The main character's black friend is shot and killed by a white police officer.
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RECAP DETAILS:
8th grade Language Arts, Critical Literacy unit
Parent complaints Spring semester 2020-2021
Note:
Movie clips from "The Hate U Give" are recommended by "Teachers College Reading and Writing Project."
Parent Concerns:
Divisive.
Social justice terms; Not language arts.
_______________
ACTION:
Parents submitted a formal challenge of the Critical Literacy unit and the “The Hate U Give.”
Decision:
Retained without restriction (meaning, no changes.)
That decision is misleading. Outside of that committee, we learned lessons from that unit have been removed and rewritten. We have not been given answers about what has been rewritten.
Rockwood says the movie and book "The Hate U Give" are no longer being used to teach concepts in class lessons.
But, the book and movie are still in Rockwood’s school libraries and the book is on Rockwood’s approved list for reading in language arts classes in both middle and high schools.
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Side note:
Parents may have embraced class time used for culture and diversity if it had been done in a balanced way. But, the Critical Literacy lessons were "divisive," portrayed black people as oppressed, and only discussed microaggressions from white people, toward black people. Not both ways.
“Boy, (student) was messed up that semester; worried with all the talk that he had privilege because he’s white.”
—Rockwood 8th grade parent
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FOR MORE ON WHAT 8TH GRADERS WERE TAUGHT...
Race, gender, and socioeconomic status come together to make you oppressed or privileged.
Microaggressions:
Students learned that unintended insults are microaggressions.
In the movie clip, a white student offends Starr when he compliments her shoes by calling them “kicks;” a term black students use.
Code switching:
Students learned that speaking or behaving differently, depending on who you’re around, is code switching.
The main character practices code switching when she doesn't use slang at school; otherwise, she's "hood."
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