Recently, a Utah mother was taken aback when her 11th-grade daughter came home with a peculiar assignment for her AP class. The task? To go on a date with a member of the opposite sex. Just when you thought helping with homework couldn’t get any more complicated!
This assignment was part of the Adult Roles and Financial Literacy course at Highland High School in Salt Lake City, a state-mandated requirement for graduation. The mother, Sarah Bennett, took to social media to voice her concerns about the assignment’s implications. “My 11th grader’s homework: ‘go on a date!’ With a boy. And follow his lead—don’t correct his habits, don’t waste his money, and always show him respect,” she wrote. “Thanks for this outdated exercise in sexism, Utah Department of Education.”
The assignment came with a series of problematic instructions that seemed straight out of a different era. Phrases like “Eat what you order,” “Keep any body image issues to yourself,” and “Be feminine and ladylike” raised eyebrows. Were these guidelines penned in the 1940s?
The boys’ guidelines weren’t much better, advising them not to complain about spending money and to help their date with ordering at restaurants. This entire exercise felt like a throwback to a time when stereotypes ruled, and it certainly wasn’t inclusive for LGBTQ students or anyone questioning their sexuality.
Fortunately, the Utah Board of Education took notice. Mark Peterson, a spokesperson for the Board, informed the Salt Lake Tribune that the assignment would be removed from their curriculum database in light of the complaints received. Teachers in Utah can upload their own materials for others to use, so it was unclear how this assignment slipped through the cracks. Nevertheless, Peterson stated, “They’re inappropriate, and we’re taking them down.”
Chris Jenson, the principal of Highland High, clarified that the teacher never intended for the assignment to be taken literally. Students were supposedly told that the date could be casual or with a friend. “[The teacher] is really upset about this,” Jenson explained. “She meant it as a light-hearted lesson on social norms.” However, Sarah’s daughter, Emily, felt differently. “She didn’t mention that it could be with a friend,” Emily noted. “We weren’t given the option.”
Regardless of the intent, Principal Jenson agreed that the assignment needed to be reconsidered. “There’s no doubt that there is gender bias here,” he said, adding that certain elements were outdated and in need of change. While the assignment was certainly not appropriate, the school’s willingness to adapt to contemporary social norms deserves recognition.
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In summary, this bizarre high school assignment, which perpetuated outdated gender norms, has been rightfully removed from the curriculum. The swift response from the Utah Board of Education highlights the importance of adapting educational practices to reflect modern values and the diverse realities of students today.