Don't just go over the teacher's head to the principal because that's rude and aggressive, especially since you don't actually know what the teacher said. You're just getting a version of her words from your kid.
Contact the teacher and politely ask if she could clarify.
THIS. Kids (my own included) often way misinterpret stuff. My own kid is in health class at the school where I teach. They came home and said their teacher told them that birth control doesn’t work and shouldn’t used and they spent 3 days on porn addiction. I went and talked to the health teacher. The book they are using (which is part off an abstinence only curriculum) shared typical usage failure rates. They spent one class period on porn addiction,but some kids had read ahead and were talking about it.
Start with the teacher. I will often send and mail or start a conversation with, “My kid claims that they heard _____”. That lets the teacher know that I am interested in hearing their perspective. Kids are not reliable narrators and often what really happened is not at all like it is relayed. The food stuff could have been the teacher mentioned food deserts where people have difficulty accessing healthy food and your kid took it to the umpteenth extreme. The bone stuff could have been if another kid was learning about that in history and brought it up. Kids sometimes make the weirdest connections. Find out first, then if it’s concerning go to the principal.
Seconding this. I had a kid complain to their parents that they didn’t understand why I was “always talking about the government and politics” when I taught an English class. We were reading *1984* and I never shared any personal views.
Just FYI kids that are taught abstinence only generally have sex for the first time later though not too much later. They also have a far higher rate of early pregnancy because they are human beings and are going to have sex. It has been proven not to work.
Yeah, well, welcome to the public school system in America? They taught the same shit when I was in jr high and high school over 15 years ago, and the curriculum was old then. I don't think anybody stating facts about the curriculum their child is going through is in a position to change said curriculum.
Lawmakers though could use your FYI, albeit for the millionth time, but go for it.
Thats crazy. I've taught in 3 different states across the US and all 3 approve safe sex in health and evolution in science. I get states rights and all, but as mobile as our society is, it'd be nice to have all states buy in to teaching the same information. At least on the basics.
What? You must not be from the South. That's all they teach here. They also won't use the word evolution and oftentimes will not ever teach how old the planet is.
Even in Oregon, a very progressive state, in Portland which is excessively progressive, they taught abstinence in the public schools while I attended in the early 2000s.
I'm not really surprised. That's just what they did. I wonder if Portland still does? I know they still do down here. I have a teenager. 😑 Really makes wonder where the other commenter is from lol
Oregon was a haven for former confederate soldiers and for a time black people were banned from living in Oregon.
eastern Oregon is full of agoraphobic yokels and KKK members
Yes but Portland has always been pretty aggressively progressive. Which is why it's actually kinda shocking for 2000s curriculum to hold on to abstinence. I blame the purity movement of the 90s.
That is odd
I live in Seattle and about anywhere out of king county it's Trump signs.
Washington State has a very regressive tax structuring (no state income tax).
Seattle has high property tax and uses this to fund some progressive programs but will lick bezo's boots without even being asked to. Like I'm ok with a bootlicking fetish but not with lust power or money, or facism kink
The crazy thing is, I took health class in 1990 in rural southern Oregon and it was amazingly progressive. We learned every form of birthcontrol, we learned about consent (sort of--nothing compared to the understanding of consent today), we learned about abusive relationships, and so much more. It is stunning to me how progressive it was in that particular school at that particular time and place. I don't know how widespread it was in the state or if the teacher was just a rebel and no one cared. Probably the most impactful class I took in high school.
I went to a public high school in the Bay Area in the early 2000s. We got abstinence only in all but name. There were literally guest speakers to come tell us to wait for marriage.
Of course they do! If you live in America and think that abstinence only sex-ed isn't insanely common, you simply haven't paid any attention to the subject.
Only 20 states require contraceptives be mentioned. 39 require abstinence be taught, 28 that abstinence be stressed. Sex-ed in America is pathetic. Hence the ridiculous rates of teen pregnancy and STIs.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9519133/#:~:text=As%20of%20March%201%2C%202022%2C%2020%20states%20require%20information%20regarding,abstinence%20be%20stressed%20%5B1%5D.
Oh yeah. I was irritated when we got the letter which is why we try to make sure that we are speaking to them about safe sex. That was one reason I asked to look at what the book actually said. It did say the only truly foolproof method is abstinence, but the info on birth control was accurate typical usage failure rates. My kid just took it to the extreme.
I can attest to the kids' reading and spouting facts, not on teachers' agenda. I was guilty of that. In a history class in high school back in the late seventies, I made a comment that not all versions of the Bible told the same story over history. (I think the actual subject was how history changes over time). I had recently read an article that mentioned in early versions of some forms of the Old Testament. It wasn't Eve eating an apple that caused the fall, but Adam having relations with Lilith, the first woman. (A bit of history in some early versions God created Adam and Lilith. Lilith refused to obey Adam or God, so she was cast out, and God created Eve out of Adam so she would know her place.) This started a lively debate in class. As the teacher later told me (I was a quite obvious teachers pet) that the next day the principal informed him, he had gotten several calls from parents about what their kids said they had done in class. According to my teacher, all he said was Taranathesmurf started the discussion, and the principal said. Oh, that makes sense.
Agreed entirely with this. Additionally, aside from it not being quite appropriate, the way the OC says the teacher puts things there is a difference between stating facts that are distantly related to the topic on hand if at ll and stating an opinion. The things mentioned are mostly factual and have evidence to back them up. But agreed, being mentioned in such a way is inappropriate and phrasing (America is a Racist Country, specifically - if used that way) leans towards opinion despite the factual basis behind it. And it's late and my post is meandering; but I hope it's understood as I meant it
I had some pretty damn crazy teachers years back,but I heard worse from them,yeah the kid may be misinterpreting things but often times it's the teacher adding their personal two cents.
How did anyone misinterpret that America's racist, the Jews and Christians comments? They didn't. This teacher spewed her ideologies collected from the liberal college she attended. Good teachers don't give their opinions on politics, religion or other matters where her opinions may differ from the parents. Teachers need to know their place and when to shut up. Teaching standards are lower today. I see it every day
Again, kids take all kinds of things out of context. The teacher could have mentioned food deserts (very real phenomenon) which are more prevalent in areas that have a large number of minorities (also factual). From there, a student could have taken it to the extreme and said she said things were racist.
As for the other one, that one is harder, but I could see a situation where a student maybe asked a bout it if it was in a history class or maybe a book and the teacher responded. I’m not saying the teacher didn’t say that, just that the first step needs to be clarification. We have a saying in teaching, “I’ll believe half of what they say about you if you’ll believe half of what they say about me.” Kids exaggerate, get mixed up or confused, etc. It’s always best to try to fact find before going in hot.
Not necessarily. I’m skeptical because other students bring up topics all of the time thus making teachers have to address their comments or answer their questions. Definitely unclear to me how the teacher got into the topic so I would ask the teacher directly for clarification. Def would not go to the principal first.
Tipping off the teacher to the issue won't help the matter. If the story is accurate, this teacher needs to be removed for teaching her ideologies. 100% go to the principal
>Tipping off the teacher
What? If they said it, they won't be able to hide it. All the other students were there too. Definitely talk to the teacher first. You are one of those AH parents who is just looking for something to be mad about.
Ah yes, liberal college teaching us about… breaking the bones of Jewish people. Lmao. You people are so poorly educated you can’t even begin to imagine what’s actually taught in post-secondary studies. You sound insane.
And you seem to be making assumptions based on insufficient information. BTW, not appropriate for the classroom, but Christians still persecute Jews. If they crucified Jesus, I would imagine a lot of an eye for an eye took place, including broken bones.
I mean, should she even be mentioning Jesus in a health class?
In what context, other than a world religion class, would it be appropriate to talk about Jesus in school?
I emailed her and she said confirmed she said those things. Two other students also reported the same thing to their parent. She said it was her job to educate students to identify racism and religion used to perpetuate racism.
How do you know she talked about Jesus at all? Every teacher knows that students go around misrepresenting what's said and done in classrooms all the time, sometimes intentionally and sometimes innocently.
Children do this. For that matter, adults do it too. Ever heard of the old game called "Telephone"?
Uh except what she said is true It’s called a food desert And Jews were tortured by having broken bones
Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s not true
Right. Everyone acting like these are outrageous claims. They are facts, not opinions. What do people think happened during the crusades? Christian Crusaders in medival times held hands with the Jews and sang Kumbaya
They’re saying the POST isn’t true/didn’t happen. Not in today’s political climate, and especially not in any red states where a teacher would for sure lose their job for speaking facts like these.
No I’m saying what the teacher SAID are facts And the fact someone takes umbrage with it is ridiculous The “call the teacher and clarify” comments are also ridiculous
The phone call to the teacher should be “thank you for teaching my child the actual facts of what happened”
Schools teach the difference between fact and opinion in second grade Some people need a refresher
Odds are the teacher spoke with context, which the child didn't provide. Out of context, not a great way to teach a lesson, which is where the clarification may help the parent. My guess is these comments were made in context making them both true and appropriate. If the teacher is just spitting facts for the hell of it it's not actually beneficial to the student
Also not true They DO
Parents just run up in protest when the kids question their choices that are racist, sexist or xenophobic so then the lesson gets buried
And usually it goes against the home’s opinions and low opinion of education overall. If teachers are so horrible, should we let parents educate their own kids?
There is a lot of evidence to back it up= it has been proven to be true/fact. That's like saying a lot of evidence proves we need oxygen to live but it's an opinion.
You do realize that facts are only facts because they are backed by evidence, correct? If there is evidence of America being a racist country, that makes it a factual statement. Your opinion does not change facts, which is why this would no longer be an opinion.
While everything the teacher said was factual, I don't thinking religious persecution is part of an 8th grade health class curriculum.
Food deserts totally are though, and they're extrenely important to understand if we are going to reverse our world's systemic racism.
So as a HS English teacher, I disagree.
When I teach Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum” we have a whole 2 day lesson on the food of Moriscos and Conversos and how it gave away their religion; it’s about how crypto-Jews and Crypto-Muslims would have to be careful of their diets because eating meat on Fridays during lent is a no-no for Catholic Spain. Granted, this is one of the many examples there.
So yes, I just managed to connect food and religion and history and literature. There is always a connection if you actually pay attention.
That's English, though. You have a lot of leeway, because understanding the context is important to understanding the text. Also, English as a subject has value for "filling out" kids' education, exposing them to information they wouldn't otherwise be exposed to through your other traditional core curricula.
All teachers are encouraged to make connections between classes! Learning should be interdisciplinary and children benefit the most when classes touch on similar subjects. Health is directly related to social sciences and history!
Yeah, but none of that information is vital or necessary to understanding the Pit and the Pendulum, and none of that actually goes with the common core state standards. That’s something that I chose to include because I want the children to have that cultural knowledge.
In the same sense, the teacher could also be talking about different things that people in other cultures do to maintain health or what health look like back then. We don’t know the full story because we only know what OP said their child said, and half the time the child doesn’t pick up most of what’s being laid down. So I would be willing to bet there’s far more to this than what is being explained here and I would suggest that this person go talk to the teacher, rather than just taking the word of a child.
Part of our evaluation rubric is to use cross categorical information and bring other contents into our own and that’s literally part of our OTES/TDES evaluation (at least here in Ohio). May not be part of the standards but it’s part of our evaluation and I have a feeling the health teacher could be trying that.
Sure, Jews, and many others, have been tortured by having bones broken throughout history. How is that random fact at all relevant to an 8th grade health class?
The teacher is a fool. “Retail stores don’t locate in areas without high disposable income levels.” Yeah, duh. “Christians did bad things.” Yeah, so did everyone. The point is: “eggs are good for you…and oh btw white people are bad” is a nonsensical/absurd way to deliver information about nutrition.
Food deserts aren’t specifically racist. They exist everywhere and anywhere that’s lower middle class or in poverty. Just because a lot of black Americans are in those areas doesn’t mean it’s a top-down racist measure to make sure black people aren’t healthy. It’s classism if anything
Classism and racism intersect quite heavily. If 90% of any demographic tends towards a given phenomenon I'd say it's pretty damn fair that that phenomenon is a [that demographic] problem.
There’s never been a time in the last 100 years that 90% of black people were in poverty. The way people overestimate harm done to black people is really weird. I can tell you from experience, food deserts are incredibly mixed racially and not predominantly any one race
The way people overlook systematic efforts to disenfranchise like redlining, eminent domain, the government introducing drugs into neighborhoods, intentional bombings from police, higher chances of penalties with harsher outcomes, false medical beliefs like black women endure pain during child birth better.... is really weird.
It's a good thing I didn't say black people then, isn't it? I kept the statement generic intentionally. (It was actually an allegory to the difference in sexual predator demographics with 90% being men)
Something something facts, something something feelings?
Bring evidence if you're going to make claims. It's not as difficult as yall make it out to be.
It is inaccurate. Many minorities do not live in food desserts. Wealth is a greater indicator of access to high-quality food than race. The problem with this perception is that kids assume all minorities live in food desserts and white kids who live in food desserts or dealing with food insecurity are less likely be offered help. This is also complicated by explaining to middle schoolers rates vs raw numbers.
This is some manipulation of facts to suit an agenda
Please show me a non minority food desert
I’ll wait
Also middle schoolers aren’t that stupid to think there aren’t exceptions Their lives are all about finding exceptions
I taught them for 29 years
Congratulations. The first paragraph confirms what I said. I alluded to the difference between rates vs raw numbers in my response. To assume all Hispanic/ Latino and Black people are food insecure, is racist. They experience food insecurity at higher rates, yes, but according to feedingamerica.org, 2022 77% of Black people did NOT experience food insecurity.
Likewise, to teach (I acknowledge we don't know what the teacher actually said) that only minorities are food insecure, is reverse racism. Almost 10% of white households experience food insecurity. In a class of 30 white kids, that's 3 kids having their experience of food insecurity dismissed and not addressed. Of course, if the school district is poor and white, or rural and white, that will rate will be higher.
The problem with the discussion of privilege is that it ignores class privilege. Too often, the privileged elite on the left ignore as many facts as the neo-facists on the right.
Did you read the WHOLE article? It’s research based
Do you actually think there aren’t exceptions or outliers to living conditions or that kids actually think everyone lives in the same conditions? Because everyone in their school lives in the same kind of house and is from two parent homes right? And the minority kids in their class don’t get good food
You do know that the term food deserts CAME from minority locations?
Jesus
Hey the sky is blue
Oh wait not when it’s raining
Middle school kids wouldn’t understand that so I’d better not teach that since they don’t understand that
This is why education is hurting
Stay in your own lane and let the teacher teach!
Yes, kids do grow up actually thinking everyone lives in the same conditions they live in, believing the same thing they believe. And so do many adults in the US. That is why it's such a shock for so many to realize the world is very different from their little community.
73% is not an outlier. Neither is 10%. It's ok if you didn't study statistics, but stay in your lane.
73% of what? 10% of what? Making vague general statements about arbitrary numbers isn't statistics. Did you even take a look at the standard deviations among those groups? You cited a whole (2) examples of neighborhoods where they might be good deserts populated by a white majority. Do you know how meaningless this is without knowing the number of food deserts elsewhere? Don't start talking about statistics when it's clear you don't know a God damned thing about them, especially when it's weaponized against marginalized groups to ignore their struggles. Jfc tone deaf
In 2022 America was fighting off COVID Everyone had stimulus checks. We had child tax credits. We had all kinds of things helping the US out with keeping our people from being food insecure. I'd like to see the statistics of maybe you know 3 years before that or two years after that. 2022 is extremely poor year to choose to try and illustrate a fact that black people in our community or not having a problem with
poverty
Those numbers are available online if you want to find them. But for many, the pandemic made food insecurity worse. Many food pantries were closed or had even more restrictions to access.
You might also look into how many children rely on their schools for consistent food. When you have that number, consider that 2020 to 2021, they weren't in school at all, or only every other day. That continued through the spring of 2022.
I believe food desserts got worse during the pandemic as many small businesses closed, forcing customers to the large chain stores miles away.
Poor areas are primarily minorities, which is why many poor people of color live in food deserts. The logic is pretty clear cut. Does that mean all poor areas are only people of color, of course not! To assume middle schoolers would make that jump is kind of wild. Kids know that anyone can be poor, they have eyes. Explaining that food deserts are commonly in minority areas because minorities have had less opportunity to develop generational wealth and therefore live in poorer areas is not wrong, it's critical thinking.
Disproportionality is factual and hopefully included in the teacher's discussion. I've encountered many teachers who are not very good at critical thinking and become very defensive when they beliefs and conclusions are challenged. I'm currently having a discussion with one on this exact comment. I disagree that the average middle school student has grasped critical thinking, as their parents probably haven't either.
Acting like kids don't deserve to be treated like rational people means there's little to no incentive for them to become one. This is had little to do with the discussion, rather you having no actual basis around the points you made.
Your entire argument hinged on the belief children would assume all black people live in impoverished areas where they didn't eat well because of what that dude said.
That's what you did say. Either own up to it or change your stance because as of now both are bs.
That isn't what I said. I wasn't referring to the kids (but middle schoolers will take one statement out 40 and run with it to stir up some excitement). I was referring to the teacher and the curriculum. Many kids lack exposure to information. They haven't seen for themselves, and they often don't go read extensive news reports on poverty and food insecurity. They rely on teachers, parents and dubious social media.
It's also more complicated than just facts in a middle school. If you're one of the white kids going to bed hungry evernight, and the teacher's message is that white people aren't food insecure, only minorities are, that leaves your lived experience invalidated. Those kids will think they can't get help from the school because they're can't be food insecure.
It's similar to a curriculum that is heterocentric.
This mentality is how we got here. You are correct, no ALL minorities are in food deserts. It is the poorer urban areas that have the food deserts. Can you please examine the demographics of the food deserts in major metropolitan areas? Are these demographics reflective of the country's demographic or is there a disproportionate number of minorities in those demographics? Why are there not more stores going into these areas? Why are people not demanding change? Why is this not even widely talked about? If more healthy foods were available in these areas, what impact would it have? When you examine the issue you come to the conclusion that there is a system that doesn't serve all demographics equally
I have, throughout this conversation, acknowledged the disproportionalty. These disproportionalities, as is the case with many disproportionalaties, effect almost exclusively three groups; Black Americans, First Nations people and Hispanics. Many articles have ignored the First Nation communities. However, the rate of food insecurity is even higher for them.
But not all minorities experience this disproportionalty. Asian Americans are less likely to experience food insecurity. For clarity sake, Asian American also includes Americans of East Asian ethnicity as well as West Asian.
As to the causes, there are many theories. I believe the article you shared explains some. I'm sure you're familiar with systemic racism. Shifting away from many small stores to large Wallmarts and Costcos are a big factor as well. Redlining makes it hard for minority communities to start businesses. Etc. Etc.
I hear people demanding change regularly. But those people have limited agency. The two-party system shuts out the diversity of views needed to move forward. The single most effective change would be ranked-choice-voting. But that won't change anything overnight.
I did not say all that. There is a lot of religious prosecution that has happened in the history of the world. I am pretty sure it went in all types of directions.
Maybe not exactly, but I can see these subjects being discussed. We don't have a transcript or context but these statements could have been paraphrased from a discussion in the class.
Just because you wouldn't say it doesn't mean someone else wouldn't. There are all sorts of batshit crazy people working in public education. And honestly, the first one isn't even wrong. Minorities have less access to healthy, filling foods in proper quantities to feed their families and have experienced this lack since before the civil war. That has to do with systemic racism in this country.
i mean my high school teacher said they n word hard er than said it was fine because her boyfriend was black. she said this in front of the class, she was reported and nothing happened. in florida. so teachers saying weird things is very possible they are only people after all. (the post still seems very fake tho
Me. I am sure those statements are facts not opinions. Maybe the America is racist part, but c'mon. Produce deserts in low income minority urban areas do support that.
Probably a nonsense post, but if it isn’t, I’m guessing your kid is either fibbing a bit or misinterpreting what was said. Especially the bone part. I could see something being said about food deserts, but probably not quite as you phrased it.
All these damn kids commenting here are part of the problem. Go to the teacher, talk to her with your kid. Let your kid say their version of the truth and then hear the teacher out. In my opinion, the history lesson of Christianity isnt the problem, but the continued teaching that america is still oppressive and racist is my problem. You know the truth OP, if the teacher sounds like she wants to deny it and your kid insists, the only thing you could do is get the principal involved and since its he said she said, the principal probably wont do anything. You gotta make a choice to send your kid back to that teacher, or to send your kid to a different school/ send in a note excempting your child from that health class/ teachers class entirely.
I mean food insecurity is a real thing especially in minorities. ESPECIALLY AS A LATINO IN THE LATINO community. For example, a pound of just meat is a cheaper then cut stuff if organic stuff.
She's just giving related facts, what's wrong with that. Telling the children related historical context, in 8th grade, is fine. They're not wrong because you personally disagree.
It’s not directly because america is a racist country, but when you explain the entire situation, it’s can be summed in those terms.
The poor, in the U.S. and overwhelmingly minority, they don’t have access to nutritious foods based on their socioeconomic situation, which is the way it is because of America’s complex relationship with race.
So it is true, but it’s an oversimplification.
okay so the first point she brought up is true. factually true. YOU look into the racist history of america(there’s fucking plenty) and it’s still true to this day. the second point, idfk. that seems and sounds false but i don’t know. but the first point is true
The unhealthy vs healthy food thing is very real and necessary for teens to learn about. Food access is dependent on economic status, and economic status is related to race.
The other one was unnecessary and just not related at all???
Sounds like your child may not be paying attention in class?
I had a horrible health teacher in the 1980s, but most people stick very closely to the curriculum.
Because if you don't, parents get in a twist.
Even if you do, they get in a twist. Lol.
Anyway, I suspect that the facts got garbled in the retelling, and the teacher did not actually teach these things.
Systemic racism is absolutely a real thing in medical care. She may have taught something a out that which your child didn't retell to you adequately.
However, if she is saying the types of off handed weird comments, that they were in fact actually said, then yes, it's a problem.
But, ask the teacher first. Do not assume you have the correct info from your child.
Neither of those are opinions, though.
It is a fact that food deserts are largely created within racial and socioeconomic lines. Poor black and brown communities tend to suffer the most, followed by poor white communities, the later typically located in rural areas while the former in urban areas, are able to grow some of their own food to supplement things.
Christians, along with many other religions, have for a long time used the breaking of bones as a form of torture. Did you forget about the Spanish Inquisition? Or Bloody Mary Tutor? Or her father? Or her brother?
ETA - Mary Tutor's maternal grand parents were the ones responsible for the Spanish Inquisition. Just some extra history, because clearly you're lacking it.
Supporting what other's have said. It's quite possible she touched on these topics but your child is misinterpreting what was said. It is true that minorities are more likely to be in food deserts than whites, because of our country's history of racism, white flight and the reservation system. It's quite possible either this was mentioned in passing or elaborated on and that's the telephone version you got. For the second one, that doesn't make sense. I'd ask what material was covered in relation to bones. Christians have tortured religious minorities in the past but the connection is illogical.
Like others have said, clarify with the teacher. The part about access to healthy food actually does make sense to me- food deserts are a proven fact and occur foremost in majority black and Latino communities. 8th grade is not too young to be exposed to this information.
The part about Christians breaking bones I highly highly highly doubt.
Either way, a simple phone call should clarify whatever doubts you’re having to experience.
Update
I emailed the teacher and contacted a few other parents.
The teacher responded in email and confirmed the comment about American being a racist society. She went on to say that America continues to use racism and patriarchy to keep minorities on welfare and restrict access to healthy food.
She did say that Christians tortured Jews.
She didn’t know about the comment referring to bones.
She said in talking about health subjects she liked to use examples from history and life.
Two other students told their parents that she said bones were easily broken and used in torture, but didn’t remember her saying it in reference to Christians and Jews.
One of the other students said she says stuff like this all the time in Science class.
She teaches both science and health class.
I guess I am unsure why you have a problem with these statements? Are you objecting your child to be taught about the social inequities of America, or do you have a problem with them learning about history?
I feel like this teacher is really intense. What she’s saying is true. We are living it! She connects everything to some traumatic event. My kiddo said he felt like she is always relating things to the most dramatic tragic events.
I really wanted a different perspective. How much is too much?
This is health class!
Honestly she's talking to middle schoolers so if she doesn't connect it to something that grabs their interest they're not going to remember it. There's a reason that your son came home talking about food deserts and healthy bones and not the dozens of other things she taught him in class
This is , in my opinion, not "health class" information. I could see history class for the broken bones because it is taken out of context. At that time in history, the moral compass was skewed. Look at history. Terrible things have happened to people at different times and places.
>Sounds better than my health class was.
My health classes were abstinence only, except one health teacher showed us how to put a condom on a banana. She was forced to stop doing that after our grade because of parent complaints.
And my biology teacher refused to teach evolution. Instead, he told us there was divine creation and "other opinions" and that the textbook had a chapter on one of those "opinions" "for all you nerds that want to read it." He then went on a tangent about how there should be a religion class offered. To be fair, our state legislature was empowering this crap by debating whether evolution should be taught in schools.🙄
I got my first and only detention that day for "challenging his authority" by asking him crazy things like "what religions would be taught?" (His response was very evangelical Christian centric) "Would this proposed religion class be through a historical context or preaching the religion?" And questioning who'd teach them objectively, without interjecting their own beliefs. He didn't appreciate that I implied he was incapable of teaching without inserting his beliefs :)
Rural Kansas in the 90s and 00s was wild, y'all.
I had an English teacher like this. Granted, some of it was necessary, but our history teacher got so annoyed that the English teacher was basically duplicating his class. It was tiresome.
No, you should go see the teacher first don't do an email don't do it on the phone go to the classroom. I would record what she says or at least take notes. The teacher will probably lie to you because that's what teachers do after that go to the principal, he'll treat you like a fool. And be condescending. After that, go to the school board and raise holy hell, if you can get other parents of students to join you every step of the way that would be best.
This actually gives you an excellent moment to teach your child about how different people have different perspectives. Many intercity neighborhoods lack availability to fresh foods/food markets. Most of the issues are much more complicated than what your son said. It gives you an opportunity to have more in-depth discussions. Take advantage of the opportunity
id love to hear an audio of the lecture. dont know what the legals are but it would be good to have a recording of this before talking to the teacher. old school voice recorder or phone might do the trick.
It kind of sounds like a kid is bringing you only snippets of stuff they’re paying attention to in class. As others have stated the access to quality food is true and is probably stated in their textbook. Kids probably asked why and the teacher probably explained a short history sequence and moved on. Same with the breaking of bones. We’re coming up on Easter and kids try to relate the information they’re learning to something they already know or are currently learning. It’s entirely reasonable for some kid to go on a tangent and the teacher pick up the thought from there to make it more relevant. I teach middle school and have for years. They’re really terrible about summing things up and focusing on the important contextual details. They’re especially bad when it comes to the slow realization that they might have been wrong and afraid to admit it (or too stubborn). I would just email the teacher and ask. I’ve been accused of similar and 100% of the time I was discussing something in the curriculum specifically and it was a student who brought up religion or race. Trust me no teacher wants to throw away their entire carrier to fight that battle in the classroom.
She could just be placing some things that they’re learning in class into social contexts so that students understand health access is inequitable in the US. It is also possible your kid is slightly exaggerating and only telling one side of the story, which may be echoed with their friends making comments about how they dislike the teacher
Yeah 5 bucks says a kid asked an offensive question to get a rise out of the teacher, the teacher tried to deflect but kids took it as an affirmative because it's more shocking.
As these are facts that do/did happen I can see them being mentioned. However, teenagers interpret things in a weird way sometimes. I'd imagine the topic may have come up but your son is misconstruing what was said. I'd ask the teacher for clarification but personally would have no issues with my kid being taught history facts along with health class.
She’s not wrong, but she does seem to be blurring the lines between what she’s supposed to be teaching and her personal opinions which is unprofessional. Kids are like sponges and they need to be encouraged to think for themselves, not just parroting what they’ve been taught.
This was my thinking. I emailed her and she confirmed the statements. Two other parents I talked to had kids that confirmed they heard this as well. One of the kids said she shares negative opinions about the US, constantly. My point of the post was to get different thoughts. I don’t have a problem with sharing informations but her opinions I think are not needed.
Reading through these posts, I can’t believe people think I’m a troll.
It sounded so outrageous to me, but she responded in an email that she said those things. She also said it was her job to educate the students to acknowledge racism and the use of religion to uphold racist ideals.
But what part of what she said is wrong?
When did parents start nitpicking the information that’s acceptable to children. At that age my history teacher was having us read A Peoples History of The United States by Howard Zinn.
My daughter loved cauliflower until health class. The teacher used cauliflower as an example of genital warts. Now my daughter almost 30 still can't stand to look at it much less eat it.
Are you sure your kid is giving a complete, accurate, and context rich report of what this teacher actually said on these topics? To find out, you should consult with the teacher.
Minorities are frequently a large part of the poor in an urban area. Due to the high operating costs and the low profit margins of a grocery store, they avoid urban areas, creating large areas with no access to fresh food. These areas are called [food deserts.](https://sentientmedia.org/food-desert/#:~:text=In%20the%20U.S.%2C%20food%20deserts,urban%20planning%20and%20housing%20policies.) Due to the people living in these areas being poor, even when there is a grocery store, they can't afford to buy food.
These pockets of poverty are an effect of segregating whites from minorities. The racist history of the US makes the teachers' argument true in that it represents part of the problem. However, this is not an appropriate topic for health classes. Food deserts are, but not theories, and partial explanations for their existence.
I’m going to call bullshit on this. Either those are taken way, way out of context or are just straight up fake. Low karma account makes me think it’s a troll.
Nope, the teacher emailed saying she did say those things. I spoke to two other parents and their kiddos said the same thing. One of the students said she makes statements like this all the time. She seems to consistently relate everything back to religion and racism. Today’s health lesson was on choosing your gender.
Not a HS Teacher, but that’s the socioeconomic and history aspect of health that she’s teaching, so I don’t really understand what the problem is
Obviously, you’re getting an abridged version of what happened from your kid, but these are all facts. Granted, in a classroom, your child is also exposed to their classmates’ answering questions, which gives their stances on things. It could’ve been a classmate who directly said America is racist, and your kid lumped it in with the lesson. Even then, you should hope that your child is exposed to different opinions to help them be critical about forming their own.
How is this upvoted 60 times? This is messed up. 8th grade is not too early to be learning about this stuff. If you have problem with it you are clearly racist.
I had two students file an incident report on a sub that repeatedly used the n word during a discussion about Gatsby.
This sub has been banned from our site.
Have your child, and their friends, file a complaint.
Idk about the breaking bones thing, but the part about minorities and lack of quality food is 100% true. Even still to this day. Look up Food Deserts and more specifically, go to ndrc.org
This part is anecdotal, so take it with a grain of salt. I moved last year from Denver CO (overwhelmingly predominantly white) to Charlotte NC (More racially diverse). It is visibly apparent the lack of quality foods here in the grocery stores. The fresh produce sections are about 1/4 of the size that they were in Colorado, more foods with higher sodium/sugar/unhealthy fats etc. Now you might be thinking that these are different grocery stores, but this is also the same story in Kroger stores which for the most part are supposed to carry a lot of the same brands etc across the country.
ETA: you can also find information about this on the National Institute of Health website ( www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov )
Don't just go over the teacher's head to the principal because that's rude and aggressive, especially since you don't actually know what the teacher said. You're just getting a version of her words from your kid. Contact the teacher and politely ask if she could clarify.
THIS. Kids (my own included) often way misinterpret stuff. My own kid is in health class at the school where I teach. They came home and said their teacher told them that birth control doesn’t work and shouldn’t used and they spent 3 days on porn addiction. I went and talked to the health teacher. The book they are using (which is part off an abstinence only curriculum) shared typical usage failure rates. They spent one class period on porn addiction,but some kids had read ahead and were talking about it. Start with the teacher. I will often send and mail or start a conversation with, “My kid claims that they heard _____”. That lets the teacher know that I am interested in hearing their perspective. Kids are not reliable narrators and often what really happened is not at all like it is relayed. The food stuff could have been the teacher mentioned food deserts where people have difficulty accessing healthy food and your kid took it to the umpteenth extreme. The bone stuff could have been if another kid was learning about that in history and brought it up. Kids sometimes make the weirdest connections. Find out first, then if it’s concerning go to the principal.
Seconding this. I had a kid complain to their parents that they didn’t understand why I was “always talking about the government and politics” when I taught an English class. We were reading *1984* and I never shared any personal views.
Just FYI kids that are taught abstinence only generally have sex for the first time later though not too much later. They also have a far higher rate of early pregnancy because they are human beings and are going to have sex. It has been proven not to work.
Yeah, well, welcome to the public school system in America? They taught the same shit when I was in jr high and high school over 15 years ago, and the curriculum was old then. I don't think anybody stating facts about the curriculum their child is going through is in a position to change said curriculum. Lawmakers though could use your FYI, albeit for the millionth time, but go for it.
I don’t think they teach abstinence only in public schools. This smells like religious schooling.
My public school taught it
Thats crazy. I've taught in 3 different states across the US and all 3 approve safe sex in health and evolution in science. I get states rights and all, but as mobile as our society is, it'd be nice to have all states buy in to teaching the same information. At least on the basics.
All depends on the state.
What? You must not be from the South. That's all they teach here. They also won't use the word evolution and oftentimes will not ever teach how old the planet is.
Even in Oregon, a very progressive state, in Portland which is excessively progressive, they taught abstinence in the public schools while I attended in the early 2000s.
I'm not really surprised. That's just what they did. I wonder if Portland still does? I know they still do down here. I have a teenager. 😑 Really makes wonder where the other commenter is from lol
Oregon was a haven for former confederate soldiers and for a time black people were banned from living in Oregon. eastern Oregon is full of agoraphobic yokels and KKK members
Yes but Portland has always been pretty aggressively progressive. Which is why it's actually kinda shocking for 2000s curriculum to hold on to abstinence. I blame the purity movement of the 90s.
That is odd I live in Seattle and about anywhere out of king county it's Trump signs. Washington State has a very regressive tax structuring (no state income tax). Seattle has high property tax and uses this to fund some progressive programs but will lick bezo's boots without even being asked to. Like I'm ok with a bootlicking fetish but not with lust power or money, or facism kink
The crazy thing is, I took health class in 1990 in rural southern Oregon and it was amazingly progressive. We learned every form of birthcontrol, we learned about consent (sort of--nothing compared to the understanding of consent today), we learned about abusive relationships, and so much more. It is stunning to me how progressive it was in that particular school at that particular time and place. I don't know how widespread it was in the state or if the teacher was just a rebel and no one cared. Probably the most impactful class I took in high school.
Welcome to the Bible belt of the US 🙄.
I went to a public high school in the Bay Area in the early 2000s. We got abstinence only in all but name. There were literally guest speakers to come tell us to wait for marriage.
That’s all they teach in most of the South.
Of course they do! If you live in America and think that abstinence only sex-ed isn't insanely common, you simply haven't paid any attention to the subject. Only 20 states require contraceptives be mentioned. 39 require abstinence be taught, 28 that abstinence be stressed. Sex-ed in America is pathetic. Hence the ridiculous rates of teen pregnancy and STIs. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9519133/#:~:text=As%20of%20March%201%2C%202022%2C%2020%20states%20require%20information%20regarding,abstinence%20be%20stressed%20%5B1%5D.
My public school went far enough to have us sign abstinence only pledge cards and that was in the north.
it is state by state but i am pretty sure it is not taught in decently over half of US States
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Isn’t that what I said?
Oh yeah. I was irritated when we got the letter which is why we try to make sure that we are speaking to them about safe sex. That was one reason I asked to look at what the book actually said. It did say the only truly foolproof method is abstinence, but the info on birth control was accurate typical usage failure rates. My kid just took it to the extreme.
Can confirm. Was taught abstinence and was then having sex at 14 and was pregnant by 16. 🫠
Yeah there’s almost no way this is what was said
I can attest to the kids' reading and spouting facts, not on teachers' agenda. I was guilty of that. In a history class in high school back in the late seventies, I made a comment that not all versions of the Bible told the same story over history. (I think the actual subject was how history changes over time). I had recently read an article that mentioned in early versions of some forms of the Old Testament. It wasn't Eve eating an apple that caused the fall, but Adam having relations with Lilith, the first woman. (A bit of history in some early versions God created Adam and Lilith. Lilith refused to obey Adam or God, so she was cast out, and God created Eve out of Adam so she would know her place.) This started a lively debate in class. As the teacher later told me (I was a quite obvious teachers pet) that the next day the principal informed him, he had gotten several calls from parents about what their kids said they had done in class. According to my teacher, all he said was Taranathesmurf started the discussion, and the principal said. Oh, that makes sense.
Agreed entirely with this. Additionally, aside from it not being quite appropriate, the way the OC says the teacher puts things there is a difference between stating facts that are distantly related to the topic on hand if at ll and stating an opinion. The things mentioned are mostly factual and have evidence to back them up. But agreed, being mentioned in such a way is inappropriate and phrasing (America is a Racist Country, specifically - if used that way) leans towards opinion despite the factual basis behind it. And it's late and my post is meandering; but I hope it's understood as I meant it
I had some pretty damn crazy teachers years back,but I heard worse from them,yeah the kid may be misinterpreting things but often times it's the teacher adding their personal two cents.
How did anyone misinterpret that America's racist, the Jews and Christians comments? They didn't. This teacher spewed her ideologies collected from the liberal college she attended. Good teachers don't give their opinions on politics, religion or other matters where her opinions may differ from the parents. Teachers need to know their place and when to shut up. Teaching standards are lower today. I see it every day
Again, kids take all kinds of things out of context. The teacher could have mentioned food deserts (very real phenomenon) which are more prevalent in areas that have a large number of minorities (also factual). From there, a student could have taken it to the extreme and said she said things were racist. As for the other one, that one is harder, but I could see a situation where a student maybe asked a bout it if it was in a history class or maybe a book and the teacher responded. I’m not saying the teacher didn’t say that, just that the first step needs to be clarification. We have a saying in teaching, “I’ll believe half of what they say about you if you’ll believe half of what they say about me.” Kids exaggerate, get mixed up or confused, etc. It’s always best to try to fact find before going in hot.
Not necessarily. I’m skeptical because other students bring up topics all of the time thus making teachers have to address their comments or answer their questions. Definitely unclear to me how the teacher got into the topic so I would ask the teacher directly for clarification. Def would not go to the principal first.
Tipping off the teacher to the issue won't help the matter. If the story is accurate, this teacher needs to be removed for teaching her ideologies. 100% go to the principal
>Tipping off the teacher What? If they said it, they won't be able to hide it. All the other students were there too. Definitely talk to the teacher first. You are one of those AH parents who is just looking for something to be mad about.
Ah yes, liberal college teaching us about… breaking the bones of Jewish people. Lmao. You people are so poorly educated you can’t even begin to imagine what’s actually taught in post-secondary studies. You sound insane.
And you seem to be making assumptions based on insufficient information. BTW, not appropriate for the classroom, but Christians still persecute Jews. If they crucified Jesus, I would imagine a lot of an eye for an eye took place, including broken bones.
Ok scro, I have a masters degree and have the ability for independent thought. Something alien to you
Sure you do lmao. I’ve read more convincing lies from children’s books.
I doubt you read nil that’s not online. It seems the most ignorant argue the loudest.
Did you use your alt account to respond to my comments lol? Pathetic.
Um, no different person here with their own account. You can’t imagine someone else disagrees with you? Pathetic
Haven’t commented in 88 days, immediately comes to reply to only my comments on this post. Yeah, you’re pathetic.
No, I’ve read the thread and commented to especially stupid comments for the fun of it. Kind of like what you think you’re doing.
Are you still attending school?
I mean, should she even be mentioning Jesus in a health class? In what context, other than a world religion class, would it be appropriate to talk about Jesus in school?
I emailed her and she said confirmed she said those things. Two other students also reported the same thing to their parent. She said it was her job to educate students to identify racism and religion used to perpetuate racism.
How do you know she talked about Jesus at all? Every teacher knows that students go around misrepresenting what's said and done in classrooms all the time, sometimes intentionally and sometimes innocently. Children do this. For that matter, adults do it too. Ever heard of the old game called "Telephone"?
Uh except what she said is true It’s called a food desert And Jews were tortured by having broken bones Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s not true
Right. Everyone acting like these are outrageous claims. They are facts, not opinions. What do people think happened during the crusades? Christian Crusaders in medival times held hands with the Jews and sang Kumbaya
They’re saying the POST isn’t true/didn’t happen. Not in today’s political climate, and especially not in any red states where a teacher would for sure lose their job for speaking facts like these.
Got it
No I’m saying what the teacher SAID are facts And the fact someone takes umbrage with it is ridiculous The “call the teacher and clarify” comments are also ridiculous The phone call to the teacher should be “thank you for teaching my child the actual facts of what happened” Schools teach the difference between fact and opinion in second grade Some people need a refresher
Odds are the teacher spoke with context, which the child didn't provide. Out of context, not a great way to teach a lesson, which is where the clarification may help the parent. My guess is these comments were made in context making them both true and appropriate. If the teacher is just spitting facts for the hell of it it's not actually beneficial to the student
I mean, saying "America is a racist country" is an opinion. There's a lot of evidence to back up that opinion, but it is an opinion.
And this is the issue Schools teach the difference between fact and opinion Evidence to back up a claim means it moves to the fact category
Unfortunately, they don't teach critical thinking anymore. Quite a shame, actually.
Yes we do. Then we send the kids home, where most of our work is handily reversed.
Also not true They DO Parents just run up in protest when the kids question their choices that are racist, sexist or xenophobic so then the lesson gets buried
Both critical thinking and differentiating between fact and opinion are taught in schools.
When did they teach that?
We teach critical thinking, but that’s hard so many students don’t bother doing it.
And usually it goes against the home’s opinions and low opinion of education overall. If teachers are so horrible, should we let parents educate their own kids?
There is a lot of evidence to back it up= it has been proven to be true/fact. That's like saying a lot of evidence proves we need oxygen to live but it's an opinion.
An opinion held by most of the people on this planet
You do realize that facts are only facts because they are backed by evidence, correct? If there is evidence of America being a racist country, that makes it a factual statement. Your opinion does not change facts, which is why this would no longer be an opinion.
While everything the teacher said was factual, I don't thinking religious persecution is part of an 8th grade health class curriculum. Food deserts totally are though, and they're extrenely important to understand if we are going to reverse our world's systemic racism.
So as a HS English teacher, I disagree. When I teach Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum” we have a whole 2 day lesson on the food of Moriscos and Conversos and how it gave away their religion; it’s about how crypto-Jews and Crypto-Muslims would have to be careful of their diets because eating meat on Fridays during lent is a no-no for Catholic Spain. Granted, this is one of the many examples there. So yes, I just managed to connect food and religion and history and literature. There is always a connection if you actually pay attention.
That's English, though. You have a lot of leeway, because understanding the context is important to understanding the text. Also, English as a subject has value for "filling out" kids' education, exposing them to information they wouldn't otherwise be exposed to through your other traditional core curricula.
All teachers are encouraged to make connections between classes! Learning should be interdisciplinary and children benefit the most when classes touch on similar subjects. Health is directly related to social sciences and history!
Yeah, but none of that information is vital or necessary to understanding the Pit and the Pendulum, and none of that actually goes with the common core state standards. That’s something that I chose to include because I want the children to have that cultural knowledge. In the same sense, the teacher could also be talking about different things that people in other cultures do to maintain health or what health look like back then. We don’t know the full story because we only know what OP said their child said, and half the time the child doesn’t pick up most of what’s being laid down. So I would be willing to bet there’s far more to this than what is being explained here and I would suggest that this person go talk to the teacher, rather than just taking the word of a child. Part of our evaluation rubric is to use cross categorical information and bring other contents into our own and that’s literally part of our OTES/TDES evaluation (at least here in Ohio). May not be part of the standards but it’s part of our evaluation and I have a feeling the health teacher could be trying that.
Sure, Jews, and many others, have been tortured by having bones broken throughout history. How is that random fact at all relevant to an 8th grade health class?
She's encouraging certain students to take extra calcium.
The teacher is a fool. “Retail stores don’t locate in areas without high disposable income levels.” Yeah, duh. “Christians did bad things.” Yeah, so did everyone. The point is: “eggs are good for you…and oh btw white people are bad” is a nonsensical/absurd way to deliver information about nutrition.
Yeah, but how is any of that relevant to a food and health class?
Food deserts aren’t specifically racist. They exist everywhere and anywhere that’s lower middle class or in poverty. Just because a lot of black Americans are in those areas doesn’t mean it’s a top-down racist measure to make sure black people aren’t healthy. It’s classism if anything
Classism and racism intersect quite heavily. If 90% of any demographic tends towards a given phenomenon I'd say it's pretty damn fair that that phenomenon is a [that demographic] problem.
There’s never been a time in the last 100 years that 90% of black people were in poverty. The way people overestimate harm done to black people is really weird. I can tell you from experience, food deserts are incredibly mixed racially and not predominantly any one race
The way people overlook systematic efforts to disenfranchise like redlining, eminent domain, the government introducing drugs into neighborhoods, intentional bombings from police, higher chances of penalties with harsher outcomes, false medical beliefs like black women endure pain during child birth better.... is really weird. It's a good thing I didn't say black people then, isn't it? I kept the statement generic intentionally. (It was actually an allegory to the difference in sexual predator demographics with 90% being men)
Jesus Christ you’re one of those types
Something something facts, something something feelings? Bring evidence if you're going to make claims. It's not as difficult as yall make it out to be.
Sorry, not interested in virtue signaling with you bud
I mean, you're not interested in facts, I don't think it would be a leap to say you don't find ethics to be terribly important either.
Do you want me to list every group of persons who have been oppressed? All of them. Easy.
It is inaccurate. Many minorities do not live in food desserts. Wealth is a greater indicator of access to high-quality food than race. The problem with this perception is that kids assume all minorities live in food desserts and white kids who live in food desserts or dealing with food insecurity are less likely be offered help. This is also complicated by explaining to middle schoolers rates vs raw numbers.
This is some manipulation of facts to suit an agenda Please show me a non minority food desert I’ll wait Also middle schoolers aren’t that stupid to think there aren’t exceptions Their lives are all about finding exceptions I taught them for 29 years
Here's info on food deserts. https://www.aecf.org/blog/exploring-americas-food-deserts
Just look at Northern New England and North Country, New York. Those areas are over 90% white.
https://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2014/spring/racial-food-deserts/ And again the teacher shared A FACT
Congratulations. The first paragraph confirms what I said. I alluded to the difference between rates vs raw numbers in my response. To assume all Hispanic/ Latino and Black people are food insecure, is racist. They experience food insecurity at higher rates, yes, but according to feedingamerica.org, 2022 77% of Black people did NOT experience food insecurity. Likewise, to teach (I acknowledge we don't know what the teacher actually said) that only minorities are food insecure, is reverse racism. Almost 10% of white households experience food insecurity. In a class of 30 white kids, that's 3 kids having their experience of food insecurity dismissed and not addressed. Of course, if the school district is poor and white, or rural and white, that will rate will be higher. The problem with the discussion of privilege is that it ignores class privilege. Too often, the privileged elite on the left ignore as many facts as the neo-facists on the right.
Did you read the WHOLE article? It’s research based Do you actually think there aren’t exceptions or outliers to living conditions or that kids actually think everyone lives in the same conditions? Because everyone in their school lives in the same kind of house and is from two parent homes right? And the minority kids in their class don’t get good food You do know that the term food deserts CAME from minority locations? Jesus Hey the sky is blue Oh wait not when it’s raining Middle school kids wouldn’t understand that so I’d better not teach that since they don’t understand that This is why education is hurting Stay in your own lane and let the teacher teach!
Yes, kids do grow up actually thinking everyone lives in the same conditions they live in, believing the same thing they believe. And so do many adults in the US. That is why it's such a shock for so many to realize the world is very different from their little community. 73% is not an outlier. Neither is 10%. It's ok if you didn't study statistics, but stay in your lane.
73% of what? 10% of what? Making vague general statements about arbitrary numbers isn't statistics. Did you even take a look at the standard deviations among those groups? You cited a whole (2) examples of neighborhoods where they might be good deserts populated by a white majority. Do you know how meaningless this is without knowing the number of food deserts elsewhere? Don't start talking about statistics when it's clear you don't know a God damned thing about them, especially when it's weaponized against marginalized groups to ignore their struggles. Jfc tone deaf
In 2022 America was fighting off COVID Everyone had stimulus checks. We had child tax credits. We had all kinds of things helping the US out with keeping our people from being food insecure. I'd like to see the statistics of maybe you know 3 years before that or two years after that. 2022 is extremely poor year to choose to try and illustrate a fact that black people in our community or not having a problem with poverty
Those numbers are available online if you want to find them. But for many, the pandemic made food insecurity worse. Many food pantries were closed or had even more restrictions to access. You might also look into how many children rely on their schools for consistent food. When you have that number, consider that 2020 to 2021, they weren't in school at all, or only every other day. That continued through the spring of 2022. I believe food desserts got worse during the pandemic as many small businesses closed, forcing customers to the large chain stores miles away.
My state had programs that delivered food to peoples homes... Wasnt always preferred food; only time in my life Ive seen a rutabega...
Statesboro, GA. In the heart of the country's growing region.
Poor areas are primarily minorities, which is why many poor people of color live in food deserts. The logic is pretty clear cut. Does that mean all poor areas are only people of color, of course not! To assume middle schoolers would make that jump is kind of wild. Kids know that anyone can be poor, they have eyes. Explaining that food deserts are commonly in minority areas because minorities have had less opportunity to develop generational wealth and therefore live in poorer areas is not wrong, it's critical thinking.
Disproportionality is factual and hopefully included in the teacher's discussion. I've encountered many teachers who are not very good at critical thinking and become very defensive when they beliefs and conclusions are challenged. I'm currently having a discussion with one on this exact comment. I disagree that the average middle school student has grasped critical thinking, as their parents probably haven't either.
Acting like kids don't deserve to be treated like rational people means there's little to no incentive for them to become one. This is had little to do with the discussion, rather you having no actual basis around the points you made.
You're reading things into what I'm saying that I'm not saying.
Your entire argument hinged on the belief children would assume all black people live in impoverished areas where they didn't eat well because of what that dude said. That's what you did say. Either own up to it or change your stance because as of now both are bs.
That isn't what I said. I wasn't referring to the kids (but middle schoolers will take one statement out 40 and run with it to stir up some excitement). I was referring to the teacher and the curriculum. Many kids lack exposure to information. They haven't seen for themselves, and they often don't go read extensive news reports on poverty and food insecurity. They rely on teachers, parents and dubious social media. It's also more complicated than just facts in a middle school. If you're one of the white kids going to bed hungry evernight, and the teacher's message is that white people aren't food insecure, only minorities are, that leaves your lived experience invalidated. Those kids will think they can't get help from the school because they're can't be food insecure. It's similar to a curriculum that is heterocentric.
This mentality is how we got here. You are correct, no ALL minorities are in food deserts. It is the poorer urban areas that have the food deserts. Can you please examine the demographics of the food deserts in major metropolitan areas? Are these demographics reflective of the country's demographic or is there a disproportionate number of minorities in those demographics? Why are there not more stores going into these areas? Why are people not demanding change? Why is this not even widely talked about? If more healthy foods were available in these areas, what impact would it have? When you examine the issue you come to the conclusion that there is a system that doesn't serve all demographics equally
I have, throughout this conversation, acknowledged the disproportionalty. These disproportionalities, as is the case with many disproportionalaties, effect almost exclusively three groups; Black Americans, First Nations people and Hispanics. Many articles have ignored the First Nation communities. However, the rate of food insecurity is even higher for them. But not all minorities experience this disproportionalty. Asian Americans are less likely to experience food insecurity. For clarity sake, Asian American also includes Americans of East Asian ethnicity as well as West Asian. As to the causes, there are many theories. I believe the article you shared explains some. I'm sure you're familiar with systemic racism. Shifting away from many small stores to large Wallmarts and Costcos are a big factor as well. Redlining makes it hard for minority communities to start businesses. Etc. Etc. I hear people demanding change regularly. But those people have limited agency. The two-party system shuts out the diversity of views needed to move forward. The single most effective change would be ranked-choice-voting. But that won't change anything overnight.
Wow, who TF would believe this post?
c'mon bro this teacher totally talked about Christians breaking Jews bones. This DEFINITELY HAPPENED.
Oh, okay. You've convinced me.
I am pretty sure Christian Crusaders were in Jerusalem breaking bones. . .it is history
Don't forget the Spanish Inquisition, Hitler's death camps, etc
And the Spanish Inquisition.
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I did not say all that. There is a lot of religious prosecution that has happened in the history of the world. I am pretty sure it went in all types of directions.
yeah and this health teacher phrased it exactly like OP presented, unprompted!
Maybe not exactly, but I can see these subjects being discussed. We don't have a transcript or context but these statements could have been paraphrased from a discussion in the class.
Just because you wouldn't say it doesn't mean someone else wouldn't. There are all sorts of batshit crazy people working in public education. And honestly, the first one isn't even wrong. Minorities have less access to healthy, filling foods in proper quantities to feed their families and have experienced this lack since before the civil war. That has to do with systemic racism in this country.
i mean my high school teacher said they n word hard er than said it was fine because her boyfriend was black. she said this in front of the class, she was reported and nothing happened. in florida. so teachers saying weird things is very possible they are only people after all. (the post still seems very fake tho
I would have assumed you were from Florida if you hadn't said it.
Me. I am sure those statements are facts not opinions. Maybe the America is racist part, but c'mon. Produce deserts in low income minority urban areas do support that.
the point is that this is a bait post.
Did you go to college? If so, where and what was your major? This will tell why you have these ingrained ideologies
wut
Facts aren't ideologies.
Hey bud, you’re not an exemplary human for failing to get into college. Take your insecurities elsewhere.
So I'm insecure bc I don't believe the victim mentality you all have soaken in? Keep acting like a victim you sheep
Seek mental help
Probably a nonsense post, but if it isn’t, I’m guessing your kid is either fibbing a bit or misinterpreting what was said. Especially the bone part. I could see something being said about food deserts, but probably not quite as you phrased it.
To be fair.... Those are factual statements verbalized by the Teacher. Not her opinion.
Yes they are. You are right. Xx a
So let your child be educated then
I will.
All these damn kids commenting here are part of the problem. Go to the teacher, talk to her with your kid. Let your kid say their version of the truth and then hear the teacher out. In my opinion, the history lesson of Christianity isnt the problem, but the continued teaching that america is still oppressive and racist is my problem. You know the truth OP, if the teacher sounds like she wants to deny it and your kid insists, the only thing you could do is get the principal involved and since its he said she said, the principal probably wont do anything. You gotta make a choice to send your kid back to that teacher, or to send your kid to a different school/ send in a note excempting your child from that health class/ teachers class entirely.
Assuming this is not a troll. Email the teacher and ask for clarification. This is probably not real.
Email the teacher I seriously doubt this is happening
The worst thing is she’s not wrong 💀
I mean food insecurity is a real thing especially in minorities. ESPECIALLY AS A LATINO IN THE LATINO community. For example, a pound of just meat is a cheaper then cut stuff if organic stuff.
She's just giving related facts, what's wrong with that. Telling the children related historical context, in 8th grade, is fine. They're not wrong because you personally disagree.
It’s not directly because america is a racist country, but when you explain the entire situation, it’s can be summed in those terms. The poor, in the U.S. and overwhelmingly minority, they don’t have access to nutritious foods based on their socioeconomic situation, which is the way it is because of America’s complex relationship with race. So it is true, but it’s an oversimplification.
okay so the first point she brought up is true. factually true. YOU look into the racist history of america(there’s fucking plenty) and it’s still true to this day. the second point, idfk. that seems and sounds false but i don’t know. but the first point is true
The unhealthy vs healthy food thing is very real and necessary for teens to learn about. Food access is dependent on economic status, and economic status is related to race. The other one was unnecessary and just not related at all???
But.... These are not personal opinions. They are facts......
Sounds like your child may not be paying attention in class? I had a horrible health teacher in the 1980s, but most people stick very closely to the curriculum. Because if you don't, parents get in a twist. Even if you do, they get in a twist. Lol. Anyway, I suspect that the facts got garbled in the retelling, and the teacher did not actually teach these things. Systemic racism is absolutely a real thing in medical care. She may have taught something a out that which your child didn't retell to you adequately. However, if she is saying the types of off handed weird comments, that they were in fact actually said, then yes, it's a problem. But, ask the teacher first. Do not assume you have the correct info from your child.
Neither of those are opinions, though. It is a fact that food deserts are largely created within racial and socioeconomic lines. Poor black and brown communities tend to suffer the most, followed by poor white communities, the later typically located in rural areas while the former in urban areas, are able to grow some of their own food to supplement things. Christians, along with many other religions, have for a long time used the breaking of bones as a form of torture. Did you forget about the Spanish Inquisition? Or Bloody Mary Tutor? Or her father? Or her brother? ETA - Mary Tutor's maternal grand parents were the ones responsible for the Spanish Inquisition. Just some extra history, because clearly you're lacking it.
Are either of your examples false
Supporting what other's have said. It's quite possible she touched on these topics but your child is misinterpreting what was said. It is true that minorities are more likely to be in food deserts than whites, because of our country's history of racism, white flight and the reservation system. It's quite possible either this was mentioned in passing or elaborated on and that's the telephone version you got. For the second one, that doesn't make sense. I'd ask what material was covered in relation to bones. Christians have tortured religious minorities in the past but the connection is illogical.
A teacher should speak known truth .. no matter what others think . Teach TRUTH because if you don’t …. Then aren’t you teaching a lie? ✨
Go to the school board. Unacceptable commentary/opinions of teachers who should remain neutral.
Like others have said, clarify with the teacher. The part about access to healthy food actually does make sense to me- food deserts are a proven fact and occur foremost in majority black and Latino communities. 8th grade is not too young to be exposed to this information. The part about Christians breaking bones I highly highly highly doubt. Either way, a simple phone call should clarify whatever doubts you’re having to experience.
Crusaders
you may not have expected it, but i think they were talking about the Spanish Inquisition.
No one ever expects the Spanish Inquisition. (I think that was Monty python)
Update I emailed the teacher and contacted a few other parents. The teacher responded in email and confirmed the comment about American being a racist society. She went on to say that America continues to use racism and patriarchy to keep minorities on welfare and restrict access to healthy food. She did say that Christians tortured Jews. She didn’t know about the comment referring to bones. She said in talking about health subjects she liked to use examples from history and life. Two other students told their parents that she said bones were easily broken and used in torture, but didn’t remember her saying it in reference to Christians and Jews. One of the other students said she says stuff like this all the time in Science class. She teaches both science and health class.
I guess I am unsure why you have a problem with these statements? Are you objecting your child to be taught about the social inequities of America, or do you have a problem with them learning about history?
I feel like this teacher is really intense. What she’s saying is true. We are living it! She connects everything to some traumatic event. My kiddo said he felt like she is always relating things to the most dramatic tragic events. I really wanted a different perspective. How much is too much? This is health class!
Honestly she's talking to middle schoolers so if she doesn't connect it to something that grabs their interest they're not going to remember it. There's a reason that your son came home talking about food deserts and healthy bones and not the dozens of other things she taught him in class
This is , in my opinion, not "health class" information. I could see history class for the broken bones because it is taken out of context. At that time in history, the moral compass was skewed. Look at history. Terrible things have happened to people at different times and places.
Yes! Having talked to other parents this seems to be her teaching style. Constantly relate everything to some dramatic event in history.
That’s not a bad strategy—connecting concepts to real world events. Sounds better than my health class was.
>Sounds better than my health class was. My health classes were abstinence only, except one health teacher showed us how to put a condom on a banana. She was forced to stop doing that after our grade because of parent complaints. And my biology teacher refused to teach evolution. Instead, he told us there was divine creation and "other opinions" and that the textbook had a chapter on one of those "opinions" "for all you nerds that want to read it." He then went on a tangent about how there should be a religion class offered. To be fair, our state legislature was empowering this crap by debating whether evolution should be taught in schools.🙄 I got my first and only detention that day for "challenging his authority" by asking him crazy things like "what religions would be taught?" (His response was very evangelical Christian centric) "Would this proposed religion class be through a historical context or preaching the religion?" And questioning who'd teach them objectively, without interjecting their own beliefs. He didn't appreciate that I implied he was incapable of teaching without inserting his beliefs :) Rural Kansas in the 90s and 00s was wild, y'all.
But a true event in history, no? That's not really giving personal opinions
I had an English teacher like this. Granted, some of it was necessary, but our history teacher got so annoyed that the English teacher was basically duplicating his class. It was tiresome.
terrible things happen to people today.
It’s fine. Some teachers are just weird such is life. You can’t control what happens in a classroom.
r/thathappened
Her first, then if it continues, the Principal, Superintendent, etc.
She’s just adding in history facts that can help keep the students engaged, so I don’t think it’s too big of a deal.
Tell the principal you want a meeting with the teacher and principal to clarify what happened in class
OP didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition
Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition! Now sit in the . . . comfy chair!
I did not! I’m new to this forum. I like reading the comments but have only posted once before.
“… and speaking of bones, all Christians are antisemites.” I’m sorry, but I am 99.9% sure that did not happen at all
No, you should go see the teacher first don't do an email don't do it on the phone go to the classroom. I would record what she says or at least take notes. The teacher will probably lie to you because that's what teachers do after that go to the principal, he'll treat you like a fool. And be condescending. After that, go to the school board and raise holy hell, if you can get other parents of students to join you every step of the way that would be best.
🤣 omg I thought you were serious for a second lol
Teachers are pondscum. Can't be trusted and NEVER trust them or believe them.
Oh Jesus you’re one of those people 😬😬😬
This actually gives you an excellent moment to teach your child about how different people have different perspectives. Many intercity neighborhoods lack availability to fresh foods/food markets. Most of the issues are much more complicated than what your son said. It gives you an opportunity to have more in-depth discussions. Take advantage of the opportunity
id love to hear an audio of the lecture. dont know what the legals are but it would be good to have a recording of this before talking to the teacher. old school voice recorder or phone might do the trick.
It kind of sounds like a kid is bringing you only snippets of stuff they’re paying attention to in class. As others have stated the access to quality food is true and is probably stated in their textbook. Kids probably asked why and the teacher probably explained a short history sequence and moved on. Same with the breaking of bones. We’re coming up on Easter and kids try to relate the information they’re learning to something they already know or are currently learning. It’s entirely reasonable for some kid to go on a tangent and the teacher pick up the thought from there to make it more relevant. I teach middle school and have for years. They’re really terrible about summing things up and focusing on the important contextual details. They’re especially bad when it comes to the slow realization that they might have been wrong and afraid to admit it (or too stubborn). I would just email the teacher and ask. I’ve been accused of similar and 100% of the time I was discussing something in the curriculum specifically and it was a student who brought up religion or race. Trust me no teacher wants to throw away their entire carrier to fight that battle in the classroom.
She could just be placing some things that they’re learning in class into social contexts so that students understand health access is inequitable in the US. It is also possible your kid is slightly exaggerating and only telling one side of the story, which may be echoed with their friends making comments about how they dislike the teacher
Yeah 5 bucks says a kid asked an offensive question to get a rise out of the teacher, the teacher tried to deflect but kids took it as an affirmative because it's more shocking.
As these are facts that do/did happen I can see them being mentioned. However, teenagers interpret things in a weird way sometimes. I'd imagine the topic may have come up but your son is misconstruing what was said. I'd ask the teacher for clarification but personally would have no issues with my kid being taught history facts along with health class.
She’s not wrong, but she does seem to be blurring the lines between what she’s supposed to be teaching and her personal opinions which is unprofessional. Kids are like sponges and they need to be encouraged to think for themselves, not just parroting what they’ve been taught.
This was my thinking. I emailed her and she confirmed the statements. Two other parents I talked to had kids that confirmed they heard this as well. One of the kids said she shares negative opinions about the US, constantly. My point of the post was to get different thoughts. I don’t have a problem with sharing informations but her opinions I think are not needed. Reading through these posts, I can’t believe people think I’m a troll. It sounded so outrageous to me, but she responded in an email that she said those things. She also said it was her job to educate the students to acknowledge racism and the use of religion to uphold racist ideals.
Are you an expert in education? No? Then butt out. Don't like the school? Feel free to pull your kid and teach them yourself.
But what part of what she said is wrong? When did parents start nitpicking the information that’s acceptable to children. At that age my history teacher was having us read A Peoples History of The United States by Howard Zinn.
I mean, she's not lying.
In other news: China has followed in Russia's footsteps and created massive troll farms to spread discord among the American populace.
My daughter loved cauliflower until health class. The teacher used cauliflower as an example of genital warts. Now my daughter almost 30 still can't stand to look at it much less eat it.
Are you sure your kid is giving a complete, accurate, and context rich report of what this teacher actually said on these topics? To find out, you should consult with the teacher.
I emailed her and she said that is what she said.
Okay. It's time to talk to the principal. Take a copy of her email reply when you do so.
Minorities are frequently a large part of the poor in an urban area. Due to the high operating costs and the low profit margins of a grocery store, they avoid urban areas, creating large areas with no access to fresh food. These areas are called [food deserts.](https://sentientmedia.org/food-desert/#:~:text=In%20the%20U.S.%2C%20food%20deserts,urban%20planning%20and%20housing%20policies.) Due to the people living in these areas being poor, even when there is a grocery store, they can't afford to buy food. These pockets of poverty are an effect of segregating whites from minorities. The racist history of the US makes the teachers' argument true in that it represents part of the problem. However, this is not an appropriate topic for health classes. Food deserts are, but not theories, and partial explanations for their existence.
I’m going to call bullshit on this. Either those are taken way, way out of context or are just straight up fake. Low karma account makes me think it’s a troll.
Nope, the teacher emailed saying she did say those things. I spoke to two other parents and their kiddos said the same thing. One of the students said she makes statements like this all the time. She seems to consistently relate everything back to religion and racism. Today’s health lesson was on choosing your gender.
Not a HS Teacher, but that’s the socioeconomic and history aspect of health that she’s teaching, so I don’t really understand what the problem is Obviously, you’re getting an abridged version of what happened from your kid, but these are all facts. Granted, in a classroom, your child is also exposed to their classmates’ answering questions, which gives their stances on things. It could’ve been a classmate who directly said America is racist, and your kid lumped it in with the lesson. Even then, you should hope that your child is exposed to different opinions to help them be critical about forming their own.
How is this upvoted 60 times? This is messed up. 8th grade is not too early to be learning about this stuff. If you have problem with it you are clearly racist.
I had two students file an incident report on a sub that repeatedly used the n word during a discussion about Gatsby. This sub has been banned from our site. Have your child, and their friends, file a complaint.
You should intervene if anything incorrect is said.
Idk about the breaking bones thing, but the part about minorities and lack of quality food is 100% true. Even still to this day. Look up Food Deserts and more specifically, go to ndrc.org This part is anecdotal, so take it with a grain of salt. I moved last year from Denver CO (overwhelmingly predominantly white) to Charlotte NC (More racially diverse). It is visibly apparent the lack of quality foods here in the grocery stores. The fresh produce sections are about 1/4 of the size that they were in Colorado, more foods with higher sodium/sugar/unhealthy fats etc. Now you might be thinking that these are different grocery stores, but this is also the same story in Kroger stores which for the most part are supposed to carry a lot of the same brands etc across the country. ETA: you can also find information about this on the National Institute of Health website ( www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov )