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This Outdated High School Assignment Should Be Left Behind, Or Better Yet, Thrown Away
A peculiar high school assignment has sparked outrage, and for good reason! A parent in Utah was taken aback when her 11th-grade child returned home with an assignment from an AP class that mandated a date with someone of the opposite sex. Talk about an awkward parenting moment!
The task was part of the Adult Roles and Financial Literacy course at Highland High School in Salt Lake City, a class that’s a graduation requirement in the state. Mom Sarah Mitchell took to social media to express her disbelief over the assignment details, stating, “My AP honors student’s homework: ‘go on a date!’ With a boy. And just follow his lead—no correcting his habits, no worrying about spending money, and make sure to show him respect.” She humorously added, “Thanks for fostering such enlightened values, Utah Department of Education. We truly appreciate your evidence-based misogyny.”
The assignment’s guidelines were just as perplexing. “Order what you want to eat.” “If you feel self-conscious about your weight, keep it to yourself.” “Be feminine and ladylike.” “Show him respect.” Did this come straight from a 1940s manual?
And the instructions for the boys weren’t much better. “Don’t complain about the cash you’re spending.” “At a restaurant, state your order first so she knows what to get.” “No weird noises.” Seriously, is this a stereotype parade?
While an adult skills class that teaches students how to enjoy a night out with just $5 isn’t a terrible idea, mandating a date for a grade is problematic. The rigid gender roles outlined could be especially distressing for LGBTQ students or those questioning their sexuality.
Fortunately, the Utah Board of Education has taken notice. Mark Peterson, a spokesperson, informed The Salt Lake Tribune that the assignment would be removed from the state’s curriculum database in light of the complaints. Teachers in Utah can upload their lesson plans to a shared database, making it tricky to pinpoint how this assignment slipped through. Regardless, it’s history now. “They’re inappropriate,” Peterson stated, “and they’re coming down.”
Highland High’s principal, John Lee, noted that the teacher didn’t intend for the assignment to be strictly enforced and that students were encouraged to make it a casual outing with a friend. “[The teacher] is mortified,” Lee commented. “She meant it as a light-hearted lesson in social norms.” However, Sarah’s daughter, Emily, disagreed, saying, “She never mentioned it could be with a friend. It really wasn’t left up to us.”
Miscommunication or not, Principal Lee concurred that the assignment needed to be scrapped. “There’s no question that this carries gender bias,” he stated. “Some aspects are outdated and need to go.”
In the end, this assignment clearly shouldn’t have been handed out in the first place. However, a school willing to adapt to modern social norms and consider the feelings of its students deserves a thumbs up!
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In summary, a bizarre high school assignment that mandated students to go on a date based on outdated stereotypes has been removed from the curriculum after parental outcry. This incident highlights the importance of adapting educational materials to reflect current social norms and the diverse needs of all students.